NewzIntel.com

Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Statement on Trump’s Escalation of Trade War with Canada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    BURLINGTON, VT—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today released the following reaction to President Trump’s threat to impose a 35% tariff on Canada, beginning August 1, 2025: 
    “The president’s unnecessary trade war with Canada has already hurt Vermont’s businesses, farmers, and manufacturers—this escalation will only throw fuel on the fire.  
    “Canada is Vermont’s top trading partner, and the same is true of 34 states. Canada is our friend and our neighbor. This uncertainty is disruptive and detrimental to our economy. Tourism in Vermont from Canada has dramatically decreased as a result of the president’s careless rhetoric, hurting hotels, restaurants, and downtowns. Manufacturers are cutting their workforce. Farmers are paying more for fertilizer. Tariffs are taxes, and the president is threatening to raise taxes on American consumers.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Members address trade concerns, current trade tensions at Goods Council meeting

    Source: World Trade Organization

    Trade concerns

    The CTG reviewed 36 trade concerns, with a new concern raised by Australia regarding India’s certification process for cotton bales (Quality Control Order) 2023. It also considered, under other business, a request by the Republic of Korea to discuss the United Kingdom’s safeguard measure on certain steel products.  

    Trade concerns previously raised in the CTG have covered a wide range of measures relating to trade in goods across the WTO membership, including non-tariff barriers, environmental policies, import taxes, import/export restrictions, national security measures, halal certification, subsidy schemes, export controls, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, discriminatory domestic taxes, administrative procedures and reciprocal tariffs.

    They have also encompassed a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, semi-conductors and semi-conductor-manufacturing equipment, shipbuilding and food products as well as specific products, such as critical minerals, electric vehicles, electric batteries, liquors, air conditioners, apples and pears, cheese, pulses, cosmetics and tyres.

    Current trade tensions

    The United States made a statement in response to the notifications by the European Union, India, Japan and the United Kingdom proposing to suspend concessions under Article 8.2 of the WTO’s Agreement on Safeguards in response to US tariff measures (G/C/W/863, G/C/W/864, G/C/W/865, G/C/W/866).

    The United States said the tariffs imposed by President Trump were taken under Section 232, a national security statute, and the US was maintaining these actions pursuant to the essential security exception in Article XXI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994. As these actions are not safeguard measures, the US said, the suspension of concessions under the Agreement on Safeguards was not applicable.

    The EU, India, Japan and the United Kingdom took the floor to explain that they considered the characteristics of the measures as those of safeguards and thus had reserved their rights to suspend concessions under the Safeguards Agreement, without prejudice to ongoing negotiations.

    Canada, the European Union and Norway made statements regarding the fragmentation of global trade through tariffs and the resulting global costs. They said the recent tariffs announced or implemented by the United States continued to severely disrupt global trade and undermine predictability in the international trading system, with rising economic costs across the globe for consumers and companies. They also voiced their support for the multilateral trading system, with the WTO at its core, but also recognized the need for reform of the organization and its rules to reflect today’s economic realities.

    Thirteen other WTO members took the floor to comment on the item, including the United States, which considered that the trading system had been unable to address trade imbalances and non-market policies and practices.  The US called for WTO reform, based on fairness and reciprocity.

    Improving the functioning of the Council for Trade in Goods

    The Chair of the CTG, Ambassador Gustavo Nerio Lunazzi (Argentina), reported on his consultations with members on improving the functioning of the CTG. Recommendations from members included enhancing the value of trade concerns discussions by focusing on their political aspects, avoiding repetition on technical issues raised at subsidiary bodies, and encouraging bilateral engagement. Members also proposed improving transparency through better use of digital tools, more effective notification processes and regular reporting on thematic sessions.

    The Chair recommended continuing discussions in an informal meeting in September to further explore these ideas and foster inclusive, member-driven engagement. Ten members made statements under this agenda item, supporting the Chair’s report and suggestions.

    Following on from discussions that took place earlier in the year, the CTG adopted a decision on the recording of the resolution of trade concerns, which takes into account the practices of the WTO’s Committees on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Three members took the floor to express their support for the draft as a positive symbol and move towards the Council’s further efficiency. 

    Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act

    Members considered a request from the United States for a waiver from WTO rules for trade preferences provided under the Caribbean Basin Recovery Act.  The United States noted the waiver is similar to the one the CTG approved in 2019, except for programmes related to Haiti that have yet to receive the necessary legislative re-authorization. The initiative creates opportunities to expand trade between the United States and the Caribbean, thus promoting economic opportunity and growth in the region, the US added.

    Several Caribbean members took the floor, encouraging members to favourably consider the request.  The CTG agreed to forward the draft decision to the General Council so it can be considered at its upcoming meeting.

    Next meeting

    The next formal meeting of the Council for Trade in Goods will take place on 27-28 November, and the next informal meeting is scheduled for 24 September.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Career Built on Helping Others: Cory Chovanec’s Journey in Weatherization

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    NREL Researcher Uses His Field Experience To Help Increase Energy Affordability for Americans Through the Weatherization Assistance Program

    Cory Chovanec leans on a ladder outside a house he is weatherizing. This photo was taken early in Chovanec’s career, between 1998 and 2008. Photo from Cory Chovanec, NREL

    At 17 years old, NREL researcher Cory Chovanec was traveling door to door in his hometown of Berlin, Wisconsin. His mission: to sell enough vacuum cleaners to qualify for an all-expenses-paid trip to Lake Tahoe. At around $1,000 dollars a pop and in a town of just over 5,000 people, it was no easy feat.

    Yet he managed to sell them all—sending both him and his sister on a free vacation.

    “I think if you can sell Kirby vacuums at that price in the ’90s, you can do just about anything,” Chovanec said.

    After following a career path in the weatherization and home performance industry from entry level to a position at a national laboratory, Chovanec found that he really could do just about anything—from crawling through cold, uninsulated subspaces and hot attics to inspecting hundreds of homes with advanced diagnostic equipment.

    Now serving as weatherization team lead at NREL, Chovanec has worked in many different roles supporting the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The program aims to reduce energy costs for low-income households by increasing home energy efficiency. Weatherization saves money for families and enhances health, home comfort, and safety.

    In his nearly four years at NREL, Chovanec has contributed to and led technical assistance, research, and resource development to support WAP, leveraging his extensive experience to ensure these activities benefit field staff and aid in their work improving energy affordability across the country.

    Bit by the Weatherization Bug

    Chovanec did not even know what weatherization was until after high school, when he started working for a local temporary employment agency. One day, they placed him at a community action agency, where he filled in as a weatherization technician.

    Cory Chovanec holds up the damaged door of a manufactured home and the new one he replaced it with. This photo was taken early in Chovanec’s career, between 1998 and 2008. Photo from Cory Chovanec, NREL

    “I didn’t see this as a career. I thought these people were crazy, crawling around attics and everything,” Chovanec said.

    Chovanec was in a Wisconsin farmhouse in the middle of winter when he began to feel the impact of the work “click” for him. It was his first time insulating an attic on his own, and the space was almost unbearably hot because of the lack of insulation. This meant that a large amount of heat was escaping out from the living space, ultimately costing the kind, elderly owners more money to warm their home. As he carried out his work, blowing 13 to 14 inches of insulation over the attic floor, he noticed the attic change from hot to cold. With less heat escaping into the attic, the owners would need less energy to warm their home—greatly reducing their energy bills. 

    Chovanec was hooked. “It was then I could actually feel that this work really does make a difference,” he said.

    Workers in the industry describe this feeling as “getting bit by the weatherization bug.” The work is physically taxing, but Chovanec feels the reward goes far beyond a paycheck. Weatherization technicians and energy auditors are regularly exposed to the extreme heat and cold, exploring all the unseen and potentially hazardous places in a home. Yet Chovanec believed strongly in the WAP mission, saving money on energy bills, and helping people be comfortable and safe in their homes.

    Without prior knowledge of building science or weatherization work, Chovanec learned on the job. Absorbing skills and knowledge through every task and mentorship experience, he accepted a full-time role and climbed the career ladder at the community action agency, eventually accepting a position at a weatherization training center.

    Weatherization training centers provide structured hands-on training opportunities to workers in the weatherization and home performance industry. Chovanec’s main roles at the center were to provide building science training and perform quality control inspections for the state. These inspections help ensure the appropriateness and quality of the work completed on the home by installers and technicians. Chovanec estimates he visited all 72 counties of Wisconsin at least once to perform inspections during his 10-plus years at the center.

    “One of the best things was going back to do a post-weatherization inspection and hearing nothing but good things,” Chovanec said. “Their bills are going down, their house is more comfortable, they physically feel better—it’s just a dose of good news.”

    For Chovanec, home energy auditing is a passion, not just a job. An energy audit consists of a thorough examination to identify potential comfort or safety problems and energy-saving opportunities. He works on his field skills in his free time, taking the four-hour energy auditor recertification field exam every three years. He has now passed the exam five times and enjoys providing home assessments for his friends and family.

    While an energy audit might provide homeowners with the most comprehensive look at ways to cut energy costs in their home, Chovanec emphasized that there are simple steps people can take to minimize energy use and lower bills. Even just ensuring that lights are off in empty rooms and the thermostat is adjusted when you are out of the house can make a difference.

    “When you were a kid and your parents told you to turn the light off when you’re not in the room: That is real, and it helps,” Chovanec said. “We all have control over small things like that, and if we want to save some money on a utility bill, we can achieve that without extensive training.”

    Translating Field Experience Into Valuable Workforce Resources

    In keeping with his unique ability to simplify complex concepts, Chovanec’s favorite projects examine the most technical aspects of weatherization work to streamline them or make them easier to understand.

    One of these projects includes the development of two interactive 3D houses, providing virtual examples of a single-family and manufactured home. These learning tools allow users to explore relevant retrofit strategies and common weatherization measures for different areas of the home, all with a few clicks of their mouse. Chovanec used his field experience to accurately represent the spaces.

    “When thinking about developing resources for the weatherization network, you have to think about how it will look in the hands of the people actually doing the work,” Chovanec said.

    Cory Chovanec explains how to inspect a crawlspace to fellow NREL employees Juliana Williams and Alexa Carrera. Photo by Janna Babad, NREL

    Chovanec also assists volunteer expert committees with updating job task analyses for energy auditor and quality control inspector certification schemes, the role that introduced him to NREL when he volunteered to serve on the update committee as a subject matter expert. These resources are updated roughly every five years with weatherization industry feedback.

    “We are really working to improve the foundational components of credentials through each update cycle, and this is clear with each iteration,” Chovanec said. “The program is always evolving in a way that puts an emphasis on high-quality work that saves people money.”

    Over the years, Chovanec has seen WAP grow in a variety of ways, providing more robust, formalized education and incorporating new technologies as they emerge, like infrared imaging, which helps identify air leaks and thermal anomalies in homes. As research continues, Chovanec knows that there will always be something new to improve homes and lives, and he is excited that NREL can play a key part in those discoveries and enhancements.

    When reflecting on his career journey—from his first WAP agency to NREL—Chovanec said it is important to reach out and take hold of opportunities as they come.

    “The stepping stones are there, you just have to follow the path: volunteer for those committees, go to extra trainings, try to make the most of it,” Chovanec said. “No matter what my role was, I just felt really fortunate to work in WAP and have been mentored by so many incredible and brilliant people, some of whom were around when the program first began in 1976. It is a privilege to continue to support this program.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Career Built on Helping Others: Cory Chovanec’s Journey in Weatherization

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    NREL Researcher Uses His Field Experience To Help Increase Energy Affordability for Americans Through the Weatherization Assistance Program

    Cory Chovanec leans on a ladder outside a house he is weatherizing. This photo was taken early in Chovanec’s career, between 1998 and 2008. Photo from Cory Chovanec, NREL

    At 17 years old, NREL researcher Cory Chovanec was traveling door to door in his hometown of Berlin, Wisconsin. His mission: to sell enough vacuum cleaners to qualify for an all-expenses-paid trip to Lake Tahoe. At around $1,000 dollars a pop and in a town of just over 5,000 people, it was no easy feat.

    Yet he managed to sell them all—sending both him and his sister on a free vacation.

    “I think if you can sell Kirby vacuums at that price in the ’90s, you can do just about anything,” Chovanec said.

    After following a career path in the weatherization and home performance industry from entry level to a position at a national laboratory, Chovanec found that he really could do just about anything—from crawling through cold, uninsulated subspaces and hot attics to inspecting hundreds of homes with advanced diagnostic equipment.

    Now serving as weatherization team lead at NREL, Chovanec has worked in many different roles supporting the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The program aims to reduce energy costs for low-income households by increasing home energy efficiency. Weatherization saves money for families and enhances health, home comfort, and safety.

    In his nearly four years at NREL, Chovanec has contributed to and led technical assistance, research, and resource development to support WAP, leveraging his extensive experience to ensure these activities benefit field staff and aid in their work improving energy affordability across the country.

    Bit by the Weatherization Bug

    Chovanec did not even know what weatherization was until after high school, when he started working for a local temporary employment agency. One day, they placed him at a community action agency, where he filled in as a weatherization technician.

    Cory Chovanec holds up the damaged door of a manufactured home and the new one he replaced it with. This photo was taken early in Chovanec’s career, between 1998 and 2008. Photo from Cory Chovanec, NREL

    “I didn’t see this as a career. I thought these people were crazy, crawling around attics and everything,” Chovanec said.

    Chovanec was in a Wisconsin farmhouse in the middle of winter when he began to feel the impact of the work “click” for him. It was his first time insulating an attic on his own, and the space was almost unbearably hot because of the lack of insulation. This meant that a large amount of heat was escaping out from the living space, ultimately costing the kind, elderly owners more money to warm their home. As he carried out his work, blowing 13 to 14 inches of insulation over the attic floor, he noticed the attic change from hot to cold. With less heat escaping into the attic, the owners would need less energy to warm their home—greatly reducing their energy bills. 

    Chovanec was hooked. “It was then I could actually feel that this work really does make a difference,” he said.

    Workers in the industry describe this feeling as “getting bit by the weatherization bug.” The work is physically taxing, but Chovanec feels the reward goes far beyond a paycheck. Weatherization technicians and energy auditors are regularly exposed to the extreme heat and cold, exploring all the unseen and potentially hazardous places in a home. Yet Chovanec believed strongly in the WAP mission, saving money on energy bills, and helping people be comfortable and safe in their homes.

    Without prior knowledge of building science or weatherization work, Chovanec learned on the job. Absorbing skills and knowledge through every task and mentorship experience, he accepted a full-time role and climbed the career ladder at the community action agency, eventually accepting a position at a weatherization training center.

    Weatherization training centers provide structured hands-on training opportunities to workers in the weatherization and home performance industry. Chovanec’s main roles at the center were to provide building science training and perform quality control inspections for the state. These inspections help ensure the appropriateness and quality of the work completed on the home by installers and technicians. Chovanec estimates he visited all 72 counties of Wisconsin at least once to perform inspections during his 10-plus years at the center.

    “One of the best things was going back to do a post-weatherization inspection and hearing nothing but good things,” Chovanec said. “Their bills are going down, their house is more comfortable, they physically feel better—it’s just a dose of good news.”

    For Chovanec, home energy auditing is a passion, not just a job. An energy audit consists of a thorough examination to identify potential comfort or safety problems and energy-saving opportunities. He works on his field skills in his free time, taking the four-hour energy auditor recertification field exam every three years. He has now passed the exam five times and enjoys providing home assessments for his friends and family.

    While an energy audit might provide homeowners with the most comprehensive look at ways to cut energy costs in their home, Chovanec emphasized that there are simple steps people can take to minimize energy use and lower bills. Even just ensuring that lights are off in empty rooms and the thermostat is adjusted when you are out of the house can make a difference.

    “When you were a kid and your parents told you to turn the light off when you’re not in the room: That is real, and it helps,” Chovanec said. “We all have control over small things like that, and if we want to save some money on a utility bill, we can achieve that without extensive training.”

    Translating Field Experience Into Valuable Workforce Resources

    In keeping with his unique ability to simplify complex concepts, Chovanec’s favorite projects examine the most technical aspects of weatherization work to streamline them or make them easier to understand.

    One of these projects includes the development of two interactive 3D houses, providing virtual examples of a single-family and manufactured home. These learning tools allow users to explore relevant retrofit strategies and common weatherization measures for different areas of the home, all with a few clicks of their mouse. Chovanec used his field experience to accurately represent the spaces.

    “When thinking about developing resources for the weatherization network, you have to think about how it will look in the hands of the people actually doing the work,” Chovanec said.

    Cory Chovanec explains how to inspect a crawlspace to fellow NREL employees Juliana Williams and Alexa Carrera. Photo by Janna Babad, NREL

    Chovanec also assists volunteer expert committees with updating job task analyses for energy auditor and quality control inspector certification schemes, the role that introduced him to NREL when he volunteered to serve on the update committee as a subject matter expert. These resources are updated roughly every five years with weatherization industry feedback.

    “We are really working to improve the foundational components of credentials through each update cycle, and this is clear with each iteration,” Chovanec said. “The program is always evolving in a way that puts an emphasis on high-quality work that saves people money.”

    Over the years, Chovanec has seen WAP grow in a variety of ways, providing more robust, formalized education and incorporating new technologies as they emerge, like infrared imaging, which helps identify air leaks and thermal anomalies in homes. As research continues, Chovanec knows that there will always be something new to improve homes and lives, and he is excited that NREL can play a key part in those discoveries and enhancements.

    When reflecting on his career journey—from his first WAP agency to NREL—Chovanec said it is important to reach out and take hold of opportunities as they come.

    “The stepping stones are there, you just have to follow the path: volunteer for those committees, go to extra trainings, try to make the most of it,” Chovanec said. “No matter what my role was, I just felt really fortunate to work in WAP and have been mentored by so many incredible and brilliant people, some of whom were around when the program first began in 1976. It is a privilege to continue to support this program.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RIDOH Recommends Reopening the Swimming Area at George Washington Campground

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) recommends reopening the swimming area at the George Washington Campground in Chepachet for swimming because bacteria counts have returned to safe levels.

    RIDOH will continue to monitor and review beach water quality through Labor Day. The status of a beach may change as new data become available. The most up-to-date beach information is available through a recorded message on RIDOH’s beaches telephone line (401-222-2751).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Putting the X-59 to the Test

    Source: NASA

    Researchers from NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recently tested a scale model of the X-59 experimental aircraft in a supersonic wind tunnel located in Chofu, Japan, to assess the noise audible underneath the aircraft. The model can be seen in the wind tunnel in this image released on July 11, 2025.
    The test was an important milestone for NASA’s one-of-a-kind X-59, which is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound without causing a loud sonic boom. When the X-59 flies, sound underneath it – a result of its pressure signature – will be a critical factor for what people hear on the ground. 
    This marked the third round of wind tunnel tests for the X-59 model, following a previous test at JAXA and at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The data will help researchers understand the noise level that will be created by the shock waves the X-59 produces at supersonic speeds.
    Image credit: JAXA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA to Provide Coverage of Axiom Mission 4 Departure from Station

    Source: NASA

    NASA will provide live coverage of the undocking and departure of the Axiom Mission 4 private astronaut mission from the International Space Station.
    The four-member astronaut crew is scheduled to undock from the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at approximately 7:05 a.m. EDT Monday, July 14, pending weather, to begin their return to Earth and splashdown off the coast of California.
    Coverage of departure operations will begin with hatch closing at 4:30 a.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
    Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary, will have spent about two weeks in space at the conclusion of their mission.
    The Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission.
    NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
    Monday, July 14
    4:30 a.m. – Hatch closing coverage begins on NASA+.
    4:55 a.m. – Crew enters spacecraft followed by hatch closing.
    6:45 a.m. – Undocking coverage begins on NASA+, Axiom Space, and SpaceX channels.
    7:05 a.m. – Undocking
    NASA’s coverage ends approximately 30 minutes after undocking when space station joint operations with Axiom Space and SpaceX conclude. Axiom Space will resume coverage of Dragon’s re-entry and splashdown on the company’s website.
    A collaboration between NASA and ISRO allowed Axiom Mission 4 to deliver on a commitment highlighted by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station. The space agencies participated in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration.
    The private mission also carried the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.
    The International Space Station is a springboard for developing a low Earth orbit economy. NASA’s goal is to achieve a strong economy off the Earth where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity. NASA’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit provides the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.
    Learn more about NASA’s commercial space strategy at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-space
    -end-
    Claire O’SheaHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov
    Anna SchneiderJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111anna.c.schneider@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 to Support Health Studies for Deep Space Travel

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission is set to launch a four-person crew to the International Space Station later this summer. Some of the crew have volunteered to participate in a series of experiments to address health challenges astronauts may face on deep space missions during NASA’s Artemis campaign and future human expeditions to Mars.
    The research during Crew-11 includes simulated lunar landings, tactics to safeguard vision, and other human physiology studies led by NASA’s Human Research Program.
    Select crew members will participate in a series of simulated Moon landings, before, during, and after their flight. Using a handheld controller and multiple screens, the astronauts will fly through simulated scenarios created to resemble the lunar South Pole region that Artemis crews plan to visit. This experiment allows researchers to evaluate how different gravitational forces may disorient astronauts and affect their ability to pilot a spacecraft, like a lunar lander.
    “Even though many landing tasks are automated, astronauts must still know how to monitor the controls and know when to take over to ensure a safe landing,” said Scott Wood, a neuroscientist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston coordinating the scientific investigation. “Our study assesses exactly how changes in gravity affect spatial awareness and piloting skills that are important for navigating these scenarios.”
    A ground control group completing the same tasks over a similar timeframe will help scientists better understand gravitational effects on human performance. The experiment’s results could inform the pilot training needed for future Artemis crews.
    “Experiencing weightlessness for months and then feeling greater levels of gravity on a planet like Mars, for example, may increase the risk of disorientation,” said Wood. “Our goal is to help astronauts adapt to any gravitational change, whether it’s to the Moon, a new planet, or landing back on Earth.”
    Other studies during the mission will explore possible ways to treat or prevent a group of eye and brain changes that can occur during long-duration space travel, called spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS).  
    Some researchers suspect the redistribution of bodily fluids in constant weightlessness may increase pressure in the head and contribute to SANS. One study will investigate fluid pressure on the brain while another will examine how the body processes B vitamins and whether supplements can affect how astronauts respond to bodily fluid shifts. Participating crew members will test whether a daily B vitamin supplement can eliminate or ease symptoms of SANS. Specific crew members also will wear thigh cuffs to keep bodily fluids from traveling headward.
    Crew members also will complete another set of experiments, called CIPHER (Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research), which measures how multiple systems within the human body change in space. The study includes vision assessments, MRI scans, and other medical exams to provide a complete overview of the whole body’s response to long-duration spaceflight.
    Several other studies involving human health and performance are also a part of Crew-11’s science portfolio. Crew members will contribute to a core set of measurements called Spaceflight Standard Measures, which collects physical data and biological samples from astronauts and stores them for other comparative studies. Participants will supply biological samples, such as blood and urine, for a study characterizing how spaceflight alters astronauts’ genetic makeup. In addition, volunteers will test different exercise regimens to help scientists explore what activities remain essential for long-duration journeys.
    After landing, participating crew members will complete surveys to track any discomfort, such as scrapes or bruises, acquired from re-entry. The data will help clarify whether mission length increases injury risks and could help NASA design landing systems on future spacecraft as NASA prepares to travel to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
    NASA’s Human Research Program pursues methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through science conducted in laboratories, ground-based analogs, and aboard the International Space Station, the program investigates how spaceflight affects human bodies and behaviors. Such research drives NASA’s quest to innovate ways that keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: X-59 Model Tested in Japanese Supersonic Wind Tunnel

    Source: NASA

    Researchers from NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recently tested a scale model of the X-59 experimental aircraft in a supersonic wind tunnel located in Chofu, Japan, to assess the noise audible underneath the aircraft. 
    The test was an important milestone for NASA’s one-of-a-kind X-59, which is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound without causing a loud sonic boom.  
    When the X-59 flies, sound underneath it – a result of its pressure signature – will be a critical factor for what people hear on the ground. 
    The X-59 is 99.7 feet long, with a wingspan of 29.7 feet. The JAXA wind tunnel, on the other hand, is just over 3 feet long by 3 feet wide.  
    So, researchers used a model scaled to just 1.62% of the actual aircraft – about 19 inches nose-to-tail. They exposed it to conditions mimicking the X-plane’s planned supersonic cruising speed of Mach 1.4, or approximately 925 miles per hour. 
    The series of tests performed at JAXA allowed NASA researchers to gather critical experimental data to compare to their predictions derived through Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling, which include how air will flow around the aircraft.  
    This marked the third round of wind tunnel tests for the X-59 model, following a previous test at JAXA and at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio. 
    The data will help researchers understand the noise level that will be created by the shock waves the X-59 produces at supersonic speeds.  
    The shock waves from traditional supersonic aircraft typically merge together, producing a loud sonic boom. The X-59’s unique design works to keep shock waves from merging, will result in a quieter sonic thump. 
    The X-59 was built in Palmdale, California at contractor Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and is undergoing final ground tests en route to its historic first flight this year.   
    NASA’s Quesst mission aims to help change the future of quiet supersonic travel using the X-59. The experimental aircraft allow the Quesst team to gather public feedback on acceptable sound levels for quiet supersonic flight.  
    Through Quesst’s development of the X-59, NASA will deliver design tools and technology for quiet supersonic airliners that will achieve the high speeds desired by commercial operators without creating disturbance to people on the ground. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 1582, GENIUS Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    Legislation Summary

    S. 1582 would define payment stablecoin to mean a digital asset issued for a payment or settlement that is pegged to a reference asset, such as the U.S. dollar, and redeemable at a fixed amount. The act also would establish a regulatory framework for stablecoin issuers. Nonbank entities or subsidiaries of insured depository institutions could apply to become issuers; within three years of enactment only those approved issuers would be authorized to offer stablecoin. Once approved, an issuer would be subject to supervision by appropriate federal or state regulators and would be required to hold at least one dollar of permitted reserves for every dollar issued in stablecoin.

    Under S. 1582, the responsible federal financial regulators would be the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Federal Reserve.

    S. 1582 would permit nonbank entities with less than $10 billion in issuance to opt in to a state regulatory system, provided that the state’s system is substantially similar to its federal counterpart; state regulators could choose to cede their authority to the Federal Reserve. The act would require federal and state regulators to issue specific capital, liquidity, and risk management rules for federal and state stablecoin issuers and to report on stablecoins. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) would be required to issue anti-money-laundering rules for stablecoin issuers.

    Estimated Federal Cost

    The estimated budgetary effect of S. 1582 is shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget functions 370 (commerce and housing credit) and 750 (administration of justice).

    Basis of Estimate

    Enacting S. 1582 would impose additional administrative costs on the federal financial regulators, CBO estimates. We expect that during the two years after enactment, the regulatory agencies would conduct rulemaking, develop industry and examiner guidance, train examiners, and establish processes for state and federal regulation of small issuers of stablecoins. After that, the agencies would incur additional administrative costs for examinations, risk monitoring, enforcement, and certifying state regulators. Using information from the affected agencies, CBO estimates that, on average, the annual cost in 2025 of employing a financial regulatory staff member at the FDIC, NCUA, OCC, and Federal Reserve is $270,000. Costs in later years are adjusted to account for anticipated inflation.

    Table 1.

    Estimated Budgetary Effects of S. 1582
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		    
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2031

    2032

    2033

    2034

    2035

    2025-2030

    2025-2035
     

    Increases in Direct Spending

    		    

    Estimated Budget Authority

    *

    2

    3

    5

    4

    5

    5

    5

    6

    6

    6

    19

    47

    Estimated Outlays

    *

    2

    3

    5

    4

    5

    5

    5

    6

    6

    6

    19

    47
     

    Decreases in Revenues

    		    

    Estimated Revenues

    0

    -1

    -1

    -2

    -1

    -29

    -7

    -8

    -8

    -8

    -8

    -34

    -73
     

    Net Increase in the Deficit

    From Changes in Direct Spending and Revenues

    		    

    Effect on the Deficit

    *

    3

    4

    7

    5

    34

    12

    13

    14

    14

    14

    53

    120

    Direct Spending

    The administrative costs of the FDIC, NCUA, and OCC are classified in the federal budget as direct spending. Using information from those agencies, CBO estimates that enacting the legislation would increase gross direct spending by $77 million over the 2025-2035 period. However, OCC and NCUA collect fees from financial institutions to offset their costs; those fees are treated as reductions in direct spending. Thus, CBO estimates that, on net, enacting the legislation would increase direct spending by $47 million over the same period.

    Revenues

    Costs incurred by the Federal Reserve reduce remittances to the Treasury, which are recorded in the budget as revenues. CBO estimates that enacting S. 1582 would decrease revenues by $73 million over the 2025-2035 period. Changes in costs for the Federal Reserve banks have historically resulted in changes to remittances during the same year. However, since fiscal year 2023, the central bank has recorded a deferred asset to account for accrued net losses from expenses in excess of income. As a result, remittances largely have been suspended. In CBO’s projections, remittances from the Federal Reserve will generally be suspended until 2030, and until they resume, most changes in costs incurred by the system will not be recorded as changes in remittances.

    Spending Subject to Appropriation

    S. 1582 would require FinCEN to write anti-money-laundering rules for stablecoin issuers. That agency’s administrative costs are funded through annual appropriations. CBO estimates that implementing the provision would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period; any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    Uncertainty

    Chief, Finance, Housing, and Education Cost Estimates Unit

    Joshua Shakin
    Chief, Revenue Projections Unit

    Kathleen FitzGerald 
    Chief, Public and Private Mandates Unit

    H. Samuel Papenfuss 
    Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 306, Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 306 would authorize the appropriation of specific amounts for each fiscal years from 2026 through 2030 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a fire weather services program to support wildfire forecasting, responsiveness, and local collaborations.

    Under the bill, NOAA would be required to:

    • Develop modeling and data systems for fire weather predictions,
    • Maintain a public website to promote the program’s services and data,
    • Award grants to non-federal entities for program development,
    • Conduct pilot projects and research on unmanned systems for fire weather observations,
    • Establish an Incident Meteorologist Service within the National Weather Service, and
    • Report to the Congress on the program’s implementation.

    The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation Under S. 306
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		  
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2025-2030

    Authorization

    0

    15

    20

    27

    36

    50

    148

    Estimated Outlays

    0

    4

    12

    18

    26

    35

    95

    Enacting the bill would increase direct spending by less than $500,000 over the 2025-2035 period.

    CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted in 2025 and that the authorized amounts will be provided in each year. Based on historical spending patterns, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $95 million over the 2025-2030 period and $51 million after 2030.

    The bill also would authorize additional premium pay in calendar year 2025 for Department of Commerce employees involved in emergency wildfire suppression and whose earnings, including premium pay, exceed a specified threshold. Under current law, employees can earn premium pay only to the extent that their combined base and premium pay does not exceed the greater of the GS-15 maximum or Executive Schedule Level V salary level. Because the additional pay would apply to work already completed, that spending is treated as direct spending. Using information from the Forest Service, CBO estimates that enacting S. 306 would increase direct spending by less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Kelly Durand. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 11th, 2025 Heinrich Blasts U.S. Forest Service Chief for Trump Budget that Guts Funding for Wildfire Response and Public Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Committee, blasted U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz for the Trump Administration’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 26) budget request. The budget cuts funding for the Forest Service by 65% and would gut funding for critical firefighting programs, forcing cash-strapped states and local communities to fend for themselves and bear the cost of wildfires, endangering families and communities.

    VIDEO: Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) grills U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, July 10, 2025.
    On Cuts to U.S. Forest Service Programs That Keep Families Safe
    Heinrich opened his questions, “Chief, you’ve talked recently about how your budget is constrained because you need to pay out accrued vacation time for the 5,000 Forest Service employees who opted into the Deferred Resignation Program, basically 5,000 people that we’re paying not to do work in our forests. Which programs are being affected this year because of the need to pay out that leave?”
    Schultz responded, “Senator Heinrich, we’re using primarily IRA and IIJA funds to pay those out. Those are the funds that are being used for that.”
    Heinrich followed, “So it had no impact on the decision to zero out the State and Volunteer Fire Assistance Program?”
    Schultz denied, “Sir, no. Those funds were not used directly. They were not directly earmarked for SFA and VFA funding. Those were not those funds.”
    Heinrich pushed back, “You told the Senate Appropriations Committee a few weeks ago that the Forest Service would be quickly releasing the FY 25 funds for these programs for state and state and volunteer fire assistance. But now we’re hearing that states have been told to prepare to receive zero funding this year. Is that correct?”
    Schultz responded, “Sir, you’re correct in what my testimony was, and what we’re telling states right now is we don’t have an answer just yet. But we’re not telling them they’re not going to get it. We’re saying we’re still in discussion on that. So, we’re not saying they’re not going to get it, but we’re still in discussion.”
    Heinrich challenged Schultz’s claims, “Well, what I would say, is that states need that funding. That is an example of a successful partnership. If we don’t have that funding, that’s not shared responsibility – that’s abdicating our federal responsibility. And not every state has even an agency in place to sort of replace that capacity at the state level, at a time when their budgets are also being decimated by Medicaid cuts thanks to the ‘Big Whatever Bill.’ So, I would think very seriously about our responsibility to continue to maintain positive relationships with those states and meet our federal responsibility. You have any thoughts?
    Schultz responded, “So I can tell you is your sentiments have been reflected by the State Foresters, and we’re in close communication with them, and we’re aware of their concerns, and we’re taking those into consideration as we work through this issue. Yes, sir.”
    On Forest Management and Reorganization
    Heinrich asked, “Last year, the Forest Service predicted it would accomplish about 4 million acres of hazardous fuels reduction in 2025. You’re three quarters of the way through the Fiscal Year. What’s your number right now?”
    Schultz failed to provide a number, “Sir, I don’t have that number at, with—but I’ll give it to you.”
    Heinrich responded, “I think I have the number, and you can tell me if I’m wrong. It’s about 1.7 million acres, so not even 50% of the way towards our goal, despite the fact that we’re almost through the Fiscal Year. So, I, you know, one of the things we agree on in this Committee, is we’d like to see more fuels reduction as a way to deal with our fire risk, and yet, we are abysmally behind our goals. We have 5,000 fewer people working for the Forest Service now, and there are many of us on this Committee that are worried that the current budget is a recipe for more trees burned and fewer trees cut. What would you say to my constituents who are worried that this budget blueprint is going to result in fewer hazardous fuels being treated?”
    Schultz responded, “Senator Heinrich, what I would say is that, overall, we’re still going to maintain our fuels program, as we have done. This budget, what it does, though, is it transfers fuels program to Department of Interior. So that work would be done in the future by Department of Interior. That’s part of what happens in this budget. That fuels program goes there. So, we would be working with Department of Interior to accomplish those objectives on Forest Service grounds. So, the intent is we still have the same amount of funding. The funding doesn’t shift for fuels, it just shifts from Forest Service to Department of Interior. So the intent would still be to accomplish those goals.”
    Heinrich replied, “So as the firefighting efforts are shifted to Interior, would the hazardous fuels treatments go with them?”
    Schultz stated, “Senator Heinrich, yes, sir. So, the funding for that program, the 170 million does transfer Interior so the large bulk of that would transfer with that program, yes, sir.”
    On the Administration’s New Firefighting Approach:
    Heinrich asked for details, “When are we going to get a detailed blueprint of what this new firefighting approach is going to look like?”
    Schultz answered, “Senator, we have been requested through the Executive Order within the next 90 days to develop a plan that would identify the structure of this. So, that’s something that we’ve just started discussions internally and with Department of Interior. So, we will meet the timelines that are established in the Executive Order. So, as you work through that, in 90 days, we’ll have a plan of what this would look like.”
    Heinrich concluded, “Irrespective of how long it takes to put that plan together, I think there are many of us who are more concerned about the adequacy of that plan and would like to see that plan before we start making budgetary decisions about whether it’s a good idea or not. I am very open to different ways of organizing how we fight fires on our national forests and our public lands, but I want to see the plan because peoples’ lives and livelihoods are at stake. We have to get that right. And irrespective of whether the White House wants it in two weeks or 90 days, I know that members of this Committee are going to want to see the details, and know that this has actually been thought through, unlike some of the you know, early decisions about letting people go who are critical to the management of our public lands.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Members Schatz and Shaheen Introduce Legislation to Prevent Lifesaving U.S. Aid from Going to Waste

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Foreign Operation Appropriations, introduced the “Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars Act,” legislation to prevent the unnecessary destruction and waste of foreign assistance commodities—including food, medicine and medical devices—by ensuring that they are delivered to intended recipients before they spoil or expire. The bill would prohibit the destruction of any such commodities unless all efforts to sell or donate them have been exhausted and requires reporting to Congress on any destroyed goods. 
    Specifically, the “Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars Act” seeks to prevent the State Department’s planned destruction of $9.7 million in family planning commodities instead of donating them to intended beneficiaries. It would also impose requirements to prevent the imminent spoilage of emergency food commodities in warehouses, including a USAID warehouse in Houston, Texas. 
    “This bill will save lives and prevent the wasting of taxpayer dollars by ensuring that already paid-for life-saving commodities, like food and medicine, are delivered to people in need instead of being pointlessly trashed,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “At a moment when the Trump Administration has made devastating cuts to foreign assistance it is disappointing that the State Department would sign off on spending money to actually destroy paid-for commodities that would save lives and are waiting to be deployed. Food and family planning commodities are desperately needed in conflict affected countries, like Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo where famine is taking hold. Women are at high risk for sexual violence in conflict settings. This is sadly yet another example of how Elon Musk and the DOGE boys have simultaneously managed to cost lives and undercut America’s influence abroad without saving the taxpayer a single cent.” 
    “Intentionally destroying health care products or letting food and medication that the United States government has already paid for as part of our foreign assistance efforts rot and expire in warehouses is absurd. It’s a total waste of taxpayer dollars and is needlessly costing lives around the world,” said Ranking Member Schatz. “Our bill requires the administration to follow common-sense and distribute foreign assistance commodities before they expire.” 
    Last week, Ranking Member Shaheen sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to reverse the State Department’s decision to destroy more than $9 million dollars in family planning commodities intended to support women in crisis settings globally. U.S. family planning assistance reaches 47.6 million women and couples every year, preventing 8.1 million unintended pregnancies, 5.2 million unsafe abortions and 34,000 maternal deaths. 
    Full text of the bill can be found HERE. 
    The “Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars Act” would:  
    Require that foreign assistance commodities, including food, medicine, and medical devices be made available to intended beneficiaries before the commodities spoil or expire.   
    Prevent the destruction of any commodity procured or held by the United States unless every effort has been made to sell or donate the commodity before the applicable spoilage or expiration date.   
    Require reporting to Congress on any destroyed commodities, including the market value of any product or commodity destroyed; and the cost incurred to destroy the commodity. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – 2023 and 2024 reports on North Macedonia – P10_TA(2025)0157 – Wednesday, 9 July 2025 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of North Macedonia, of the other part(1),

    –  having regard to North Macedonia’s application for membership of the European Union, submitted on 22 March 2004,

    –  having regard to the European Council decision of 16 December 2005 to grant North Macedonia EU candidate country status,

    –  having regard to the European Council conclusions of 19-20 June 2003, including the annex thereto entitled ‘The Thessaloniki agenda for the Western Balkans: Moving towards European integration’,

    –  having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1529 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 September 2021 establishing the Instrument for Pre-Accession assistance (IPA III)(2),

    –  having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans(3),

    –  having regard to the Commission communication of 5 February 2020 entitled ‘Enhancing the accession process – A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2020)0057),

    –  having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 entitled ‘2023 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy’ (COM(2023)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘North Macedonia 2023 Report’ (SWD(2023)0693),

    –  having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 entitled ‘New growth plan for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2023)0691),

    –  having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (COM(2024)0146),

    –  having regard to the Commission communication of 24 July 2024 entitled ‘2024 Rule of Law Report’ (COM(2024)0800), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘2024 Rule of Law Report – Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in North Macedonia’ (SWD(2024)0830),

    –  having regard to the Commission communication of 30 October 2024 entitled ‘2024 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2024)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘North Macedonia 2024 Report’ (SWD(2024)0693),

    –  having regard to the Reform Agenda of North Macedonia as approved by the Commission under the Reform and Growth Facility on 23 October 2024,

    –  having regard to the declarations of the EU-Western Balkans summits of 13 December 2023 and of 18 December 2024 in Brussels as well as the declarations of the EU-Western Balkans summits held in Sofia, Zagreb and Brdo pri Kranju in 2018, 2020 and 2021 respectively, and the Declaration on the Common Regional Market and the Declaration on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans agreed on 10 November 2020 at the Sofia Summit within the Berlin Process,

    –  having regard to the Council conclusions of 18 July 2022 on Enlargement – North Macedonia and Albania and the Council conclusions on Enlargement of 17 December 2024,

    –  having regard to the final report of 23 September 2024 of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Election Observation Mission on North Macedonia’s presidential election on 24 April 2024 and parliamentary elections on 8 May 2024,

    –  having regard to the Berlin Process launched on 28 August 2014,

    –  having regard to the Treaty of friendship, good neighbourliness and cooperation between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, signed on 1 August 2017 and ratified in January 2018;

    –  having regard to the Final Agreement for the settlement of the differences as described in the United Nations Security Council resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993), the termination of the Interim Accord of 1995, and the establishment of a strategic partnership between Greece and North Macedonia, agreed on 17 June 2018, also known as the Prespa Agreement,

    –  having regard to the joint staff working document entitled ‘Objectives and Indicators to frame the implementation of the Gender Action Plan III (2021-25)’ (SWD(2020)0284) accompanying the joint communication of the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 25 November 2020 entitled ’EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III – An ambitions vision for gender equality and women’s empowerment in EU external action (JOIN(2020)0017), as well as the Country Level Implementation Plan (CLIP) for North Macedonia,

    –  having regard to the 2023 European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) Report on North Macedonia, adopted on 29 June 2023 and published on 20 September 2023,

    –  having regard to the declaration and joint recommendations adopted at the 23rd meeting of the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee, held on 27 and 28 February 2025 in Skopje,

    –  having regard to its previous resolutions on North Macedonia, and in particular its resolution of 24 October 2019 on opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania(4),

    –  having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

    –  having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0118/2025),

    A.  whereas North Macedonia has held EU candidate country status since 2005 and successfully completed the screening process in December 2023;

    B.  whereas the aspirations of citizens of North Macedonia to become part of the EU have led to progress in terms of democracy and socio-economic reforms, while the EU accession process continues to experience regrettable delays for various reasons;

    C.  whereas the EU has mobilised approximately EUR 210 million in macro-financial assistance loans since 2020, aimed at stabilising the Macedonian economy, aiding its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerating its reform progress;

    D.  whereas North Macedonia is a partner that is aligned with the EU’s common foreign and security policy in the vast majority of cases and has played a constructive role in the region; whereas North Macedonia’s recent abstention from United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-11/7 of 24 February 2025 on Ukraine and its co-sponsorship of an alternative resolution led by the United States indicates an unexpected and regrettable shift in its foreign policy alignment;

    E.  whereas North Macedonia participates in EU military crisis management operations, including EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

    F.  whereas the Council reached new conclusions in July 2022 which mean that North Macedonia needs to adopt the outstanding constitutional changes, in line with its commitments, so that the opening phase of accession negotiations can be completed immediately;

    G.  whereas the geopolitical changes, the war in Ukraine, disinformation and misinformation have a strong impact on all European countries, both politically and economically;

    H.  whereas North Macedonia remains a target of foreign malign influence operations, including efforts to fracture the country’s social fabric and weaponise anti-EU sentiment, notably via Serbian-language tabloids and media outlets, which function as regional amplifiers of Kremlin narratives and enjoy considerable influence; whereas North Macedonia expelled 13 Russian diplomats between 2018 and 2023 for activities incompatible with their diplomatic status, suggesting an ongoing presence of covert influence networks; whereas China has sought to expand its influence through information control, investment diplomacy and coercive clauses in infrastructure loan agreements;

    I.  whereas North Macedonia’s authorities have proposed solutions for constitutional change that did not meet the conditions of the July 2022 Council conclusions;

    J.  whereas any accession country is expected to respect democratic values, the rule of law and human rights, and to abide by EU law;

    K.  whereas the Council has not excluded unequivocally the adoption of further new conditions for the starting of accession negotiations;

    1.  Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s continued and persistent commitment to join the EU and for the necessary transformative changes that are required to fulfil the accession criteria; commends the country’s commitment to European integration and encourages continued efforts in advancing EU-aligned reforms, despite the challenges and setbacks that have tested the patience and trust of the Macedonian society;

    2.  Underlines that EU accession remains a matter of political will in fulfilling the criteria and implementing the commitments undertaken, in terms of both making the necessary reforms and adopting the necessary constitutional amendments;

    3.  Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the EU integration process; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, while noting the importance of adopting the constitutional amendments; urges the European Council to signal, publicly and unequivocally, that the Council intends to swiftly and unconditionally take the positive decision to enter into the next phase of accession negotiations with North Macedonia once the conditions of its conclusions of 18 July 2022 have been fulfilled; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership; believes that strengthening the links between the multiple ethnicities is essential for improving social cohesion and ensuring more effective governance; calls on the Member States, the Council and the Commission to safeguard the predictability and credibility of the accession process, also with a view to maintaining popular support for accession in enlargement countries;

    4.  Welcomes the successful completion of the screening process for North Macedonia at the end of 2023; encourages North Macedonia to adopt the constitutional amendments that the country committed to making and implementing, as required by the Council, in order for the accession negotiation process to proceed;

    5.  Commends the commitment of the Macedonian people to EU integration and the support they show to this project two decades on from starting the process; urges the Commission to do the utmost to help the authorities of North Macedonia accomplish the necessary steps before entering into the next negotiation phase as well as further along the negotiation process, to help deliver on the expectations of citizens and the country and to explore all measures for gradual integration into the EU structures, thus increasing trust in the EU and its democratic values;

    6.  Recalls that the accession process should not be used to settle bilateral disputes, obstruct merit-based progress on the European path or outweigh the broader strategic interests of the Union, but that such disputes must rather be addressed through open dialogue and genuine cooperation; underlines that accession negotiations should follow a clear path, guided by objective criteria and solely based on merit and the fulfilment of the accession criteria (Copenhagen criteria), which require in-depth reforms across fundamental areas, as well as the presence of stable institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and the protection of minorities;

    7.  Reaffirms that the respect for linguistic, cultural and national identity is a fundamental component of the EU accession process and a cornerstone of democratic societies which will be further affirmed with the accession to the family of European nations;

    8.  Repeats its calls for the EU’s capacity to act to be enhanced through a reform of its decision-making, including through the introduction of qualified majority voting on the intermediate steps in the accession process, in particular at the start of negotiations and the opening and closing of individual negotiating clusters and chapters;

    9.  Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia when it meets the conditions set out in its Reform Agenda; welcomes, in this context, the excellent and ambitious Reform Agenda, which sets clear, transparent goals and targets, and calls on the authorities to focus on its rigorous implementation; underlines the need to focus on incentivising reforms and reinforcing economic stability as well as on public administration, governance, the rule of law and the fight against corruption, decarbonisation and the green transition, digitalisation, connectivity and human capital development, while addressing social challenges;

    10.  Notes the funds being received by North Macedonia from individual Member States and the good cooperation between them; warns however about strengthening alliances with illiberal regimes;

    11.  Commends North Macedonia on its continued commitment to the EU integration process and regrets the delays in the accession process; welcomes the stability of and encourages continued efforts to secure interethnic relations and the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

    12.  Encourages North Macedonia to achieve tangible results in complying with the EU’s expectations under the negotiating framework and the Council conclusions of July 2022, including relevant constitutional changes, in line with the country’s commitments;

    13.  Urges North Macedonia to intensify efforts to strengthen the rule of law and judicial independence, including in judicial appointments and the functioning of the Judicial Council, to counter corruption, reform its public administration and improve the transparency and concentration of media ownership; encourages further implementation of systemic measures to ensure transparency and efficiency in governance;

    14.  Expresses its profound sorrow and heartfelt solidarity following the tragic Kočani nightclub fire that led to the death of more than 50 young people and injuries to more than 150 others and offers its condolences to the victims and their families; commends the rapid use of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and the help provided by the Member States to save as many lives as possible; commends neighbouring and EU countries, in particular Greece and Bulgaria, for the immediate support and solidarity they showed and the medical treatment they provided to victims;

    Functioning of democratic institutions

    15.  Notes that, while democratic institutions in North Macedonia function satisfactorily, political polarisation remains a major stumbling block to necessary reforms; calls on the political parties represented in the country’s parliament to work together to reach an agreement on those reforms;

    16.  Welcomes the adoption of new rules of procedure by the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia (Sobranie), facilitated by the European Parliament within the framework of the Jean Monnet Dialogue; stresses, however, that persistent political polarisation continues to delay important reforms and appointments; emphasises that cross-party collaboration and an improved political climate remain vital to accelerate the implementation of EU-related reforms and strengthen democratic institutions;

    17.  Notes with concern that about half of all laws enacted by the Sobranie in 2023 were approved through shortened procedures; calls on the Sobranie to improve its legislative planning, coordination and quality through proper consultation procedures and parliamentary oversight, in particular with a view to the conclusions of the Jean Monnet Dialogue and to avoid fast-track procedures;

    18.  Stresses that, while the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections were competitive, and democratic and amendments to the Electoral Code have been made, comprehensive electoral reform is still needed; calls strongly for the implementation of the outstanding recommendations made by the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission through an inclusive revision of the Electoral Code, while underlining the importance of insulating future electoral processes from malign foreign interference and information manipulation, including through the adoption of robust cybersecurity and online campaign transparency rules;

    19.  Calls for improved regulation of the financing of political parties and campaigns, including measures to increase transparency regarding the funds and expenses of political parties; urges a revision of the rules on state advertising in commercial media and paid political advertisement; emphasises the need for functioning oversight mechanisms to ensure integrity in party financing and for equal and adequate media access for political parties and independent candidates;

    20.  Calls for the continued modernisation of a merit-based public administration, addressing systemic challenges of politicisation, strengthening transparent recruitment processes, and reforming local self-government to provide better social services for citizens and to develop tailor-made local and regional development strategies; urges the authorities to step up their efforts and adopt and implement the necessary legislation with a view to improving public trust in the administration and fostering a resilient and capable public service that can effectively respond to contemporary challenges and serve the needs of the community; commends the 2023-2030 public administration strategy and the related action plan for 2023-2026 adopted in July 2023; acknowledges that they cover all relevant reform areas and set out a clear baseline, objectives and targets, thus identifying crucial policy challenges; regrets, however that the implementation rate remains low;

    21.  Calls for further steps to ensure the systemic accountability of public institutions through meaningful and public stakeholder consultations, including with regard to the implementation of the Reform Agenda, and to provide feedback from the consultations conducted; commends the law on general administrative procedures that is providing for simplification, but strongly recommends that it be implemented systematically across the administration;

    22.  Urges the authorities of North Macedonia to refrain from opaque, politicised dismissals from, and appointments to, positions within independent bodies and agencies, as well as to ensure that the institutions are adequately funded and that decisions and recommendations are implemented consistently; notes with regret the continued lack of progress in strengthening the office of the Ombudsman;

    Media and civil society

    23.  Welcomes North Macedonia’s steady progress in assuring media freedom; recalls however, the need for continued reforms to ensure an independent and resilient media landscape, including reforming the legal framework governing online and offline media to align fully with the European Media Freedom Act(5), addressing persistent challenges in media ownership transparency, digital media disclosure and media concentration; underlines the need for media reform that prioritises anti-concentration measures to safeguard journalistic integrity; emphasises the urgent need to counter malign foreign influence in the media landscape, including disinformation disseminated by actors linked to Russia and China;

    24.  Calls on the authorities to adopt a legal framework that effectively protects journalists, human rights defenders, environmental activists and other stakeholders from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), and to implement the provisions of the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive(6);

    25.  Urges the authorities to ensure full transparency and unimpeded access to information for citizens;

    26.  Notes with concern the reinstatement of government advertising in commercial media in North Macedonia; stresses the heightened risk of this measure opening the media market to disruption and undue political influence, thus endangering media independence and media pluralism; reiterates its calls for the comprehensive reform of the rules governing state financing and political party advertising in the media, noting the lack of transparency, the ongoing misuse of state funds for political advertising, and the continued risk of compromising media independence through opaque funding mechanisms; calls strongly for these reforms to be adopted and implemented before the local elections planned for autumn 2025;

    27.  Underlines the need to strengthen the independence and capacity of the media regulator, the public service broadcaster and the regulator of electronic communication;

    28.  Encourages action to enhance the editorial and financial independence, impartiality and professionalism of public service broadcasters and media regulators, while noting the continued delay in appointing key oversight bodies and the need for comprehensive modernisation efforts; calls for stricter transparency and ownership rules to expose covert influence, including foreign-sponsored media content, and for the establishment of mechanisms to identify and disrupt coordinated foreign disinformation networks;

    29.  Notes that certain Chinese diplomatic entities have financed paid content and opinion pieces in Macedonian media outlets without clear labelling; recalls that a 2023 analysis found that Russian state-affiliated actors had used Serbian media proxies to disseminate narratives hostile to NATO and to claim that the EU is pressuring North Macedonia to ‘abandon its identity’;

    30.  Expresses concern over the ongoing threats and attacks against independent journalists and media professionals, including misogynistic online harassment targeting women journalists, often targeting those reporting on the rule of law, corruption and justice; welcomes the assignment of a dedicated prosecutor to monitor these attacks on journalists and oversee the establishment of cyberbullying reporting mechanisms; calls for stronger measures to protect media professionals from physical and non-physical threats, harassment and the inappropriate use of language by public figures;

    31.  Encourages North Macedonia to continue the efforts to combat hate speech in all of its forms and targeting all groups, to proactively prevent and thoroughly investigate all instances of hate speech, hate crimes and intimidation, systematically prosecute related attacks, with a view to achieving convictions and ensuring the safety and security of their targets, such as journalists, people belonging to minorities, communities such as Bulgarians, and other vulnerable groups;

    32.  Expresses concern about the rise in hate speech and growing threats from disinformation in online media, over which the national Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services has no regulatory authority; calls for strengthened measures to support investigative journalism, fact-checking capabilities and media literacy and to improve the legal framework and interinstitutional capacity in order to combat hate speech, disinformation and foreign interference; is concerned by widespread disinformation campaigns which call into question democratic values and the country’s goal of EU membership; calls, in this regard, for the support of the EU institutions to help the country mitigate these malicious effects; welcomes civil society initiatives promoting media fact-checking, digital literacy in schools and the combating of the spread of hate speech, and notes that nearly 50 % of the citizens of North Macedonia have adopted false narratives about international events, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine, underscoring the urgency of reinforcing societal resilience against malign information manipulation;

    33.  Underlines that civil society is vital in fostering democracy and pluralism and promoting good governance and social progress; welcomes the country’s vibrant and constructive civil society, which plays a very crucial and positive role in the reform process, and recalls that further efforts are needed to ensure inclusive, timely and meaningful consultation and transparency, as well as formal mechanisms for cooperation; welcomes, against this backdrop, the recent initiation of the process for re-establishing the Council for Cooperation with and Development of the Civil Society Sector and calls for enhanced cooperation between the government and civil society, especially in mitigating the implications for civil society of the recent ‘freeze’ of US Agency for International Development (USAID) funds; notes that, while civil society organisations operate in an overall enabling environment, legal and financial frameworks need to be implemented to ensure that their public funding is increased and that public funding mechanisms are transparent; is concerned about reports of an increase in hostile statements towards civil society and encourages the Ministry of Internal Affairs to work with civil society organisations to develop a security protocol for human rights defenders to ensure their protection against threats from non-state actors; calls strongly for further enhancement of the role of civil society by ensuring that it continues to be meaningfully included in the decision-making process and by consulting the Venice Commission before adopting future legislation related to non-governmental organisations (NGOs);

    Fundamental rights

    34.  Commends North Macedonia for ratifying most international human rights instruments; expresses concern, however, about the level of implementation, the lack of progress in gender equality, the rise of anti-gender movements and the increase in their influence, which have a negative impact on legislative and policymaking processes; urges the government to fully implement the Istanbul Convention; calls on the authorities to adopt the new Law on Gender Equality and to strengthen formal government structures designed to promote gender equality and improve the status and rights of women at all levels, as well as to ensure the effective implementation of the gender equality strategy and the national action plan, notably by ensuring adequate funding, enhancing interinstitutional coordination and aligning national policies with the EU acquis;

    35.  Urges the authorities to ensure the full and effective implementation of the existing legal framework for the protection of victims of gender-based and domestic violence, by allocating sufficient budgetary resources for prevention, and by improving access to support services, protection mechanisms and the enforcement of legally guaranteed social and economic rights of survivors; notes, against this background, the adoption in 2023 of the Law on Payment of Monetary Compensation to Victims of Violent Crimes, which integrates the standards of the Istanbul Convention to provide better protection for victims of gender-based violence; urges the authorities, furthermore, to strengthen their efforts to reduce and mitigate gender-based violence and domestic violence, and to increase shelter capacity and personnel, as well as the number of well-trained and gender-sensitive law enforcement officers, judges, medical personnel and social workers;

    36.  Notes, with concern, the dire situation of young women in prison, including juvenile girls aged between 14 and 16, who lack education and job skills training and are often overmedicated, with insufficient healthcare; urges the authorities of North Macedonia to take urgent measures to improve the detention conditions for all inmates, to reduce corruption and stop inhuman treatment, and to enhance the probation and reintegration of ex-prisoners into society;

    37.  Urges North Macedonia to fully implement the recommendations outlined in the 2023 ECRI report on North Macedonia in order to effectively address the human rights violations identified;

    38.  Welcomes the fact that interethnic relations remain stable and the Ohrid Framework Agreement continues to be implemented; commends North Macedonia’s efforts in strengthening minority rights protections, while encouraging further financial support; calls for adequate funding and staffing for institutions protecting the rights of non-majority communities; calls on political representatives of minority communities to avoid promoting divisive ethnic narratives echoing policies that caused profound suffering and wars in the region’s recent past; urges North Macedonia to fully implement the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities as regards the ‘One society for all and interculturalism’ strategy; calls on North Macedonia to provide sufficient funding and staff for the Language Implementation Agency and the Agency for Community Rights Realization; regrets that North Macedonia did not ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages; awaits a final decision on the contested Law on the Use of Languages, which may have an impact on interethnic relations;

    39.  Welcomes the progress the country has achieved in aligning its legislative and institutional framework for the rights of the child with the EU acquis and international human rights standards; notes the progress in implementing the strategy for deinstitutionalisation and welcomes the successful relocation of children from institutions to foster care or small group homes; notes with concern, however, the continued instances of child violence and discrimination, including against Roma children; calls, therefore, for the country to set up a national body responsible for coordinating all policies relating to the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the optional protocols thereto;

    40.  Encourages North Macedonia to take meaningful steps toward recognising and incorporating national minorities and communities into its constitution, fostering inclusivity, protecting diversity, fighting discrimination and strengthening social cohesion in line with European values and democratic principles; calls on North Macedonia to fully guarantee equal rights and opportunities for all ethnic communities in the country;

    41.  Notes that persons with disabilities continue to face significant barriers as the country’s legislation is still not aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; welcomes the national strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities for 2023-2030 and calls strongly for its proper implementation, including in regard to ensuring a sufficient number of educational assistants, in order to effectively and smoothly include children with disabilities in the education process;

    42.  Welcomes the first court ruling on hate speech against the LGBTIQ+ community, but calls strongly for the systematic prosecution of all instances of hate speech, hate crimes and intimidation, as well as for the inclusion of hate speech in the Criminal Code and for the state institutions responsible to keep adequate statistics on cases of hate speech and hate crimes;

    43.  Notes with concern the widespread hate speech on social media, particularly towards Roma, LGBTIQ+ persons and other marginalised groups; urges all political actors to amend the Law on Civil Registry and ensure swift and unimpeded legal gender recognition on the basis of self-determination, to uphold human rights, ensure dignity, and establish a clear and accessible legal process in line with international standards; recommends that the new Law on Primary Education maintain explicit protection against discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, ensuring alignment with national and international commitments; encourages the Assembly of North Macedonia to promptly (re-)establish an active interparliamentary LGBTIQ+ group to support and advance LGBTIQ+ rights;

    44.  Calls on North Macedonia to strengthen migration management, improve alignment with the EU acquis and address persistent challenges in handling regular and irregular migration while upholding fundamental human rights; welcomes enhanced cooperation on border management and the strengthening of the country’s capacity to manage migration flows and combat migrant smuggling, human trafficking and other organised crime; encourages the continued development of asylum procedures and integration policies and the improvement of reception conditions, in alignment with EU migration frameworks; stresses the importance of regional cooperation in migration management and urges the EU to provide further support in terms of resources, technical assistance and capacity-building in order to address migration challenges effectively;

    45.  Calls on North Macedonia to step up its efforts in the fight against human trafficking, notably by further aligning the Criminal Code with the EU acquis and its legislation on drugs;

    Rule of law

    46.  Notes, with serious concern, that the country’s track record in fighting corruption, including high-level corruption, has worsened, as also evidenced by its decline in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, particularly owing to Criminal Code amendments that have weakened the legal framework, resulting in the termination of many ongoing cases; reiterates that this decline underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms; calls strongly for the anti-corruption framework to be strengthened and for effective accountability to be ensured, in particular in high-level corruption cases, through proper investigation, prosecution and convictions; urges a review of recent amendments to the Criminal Code in relation to sentencing standards and the statute of limitations, in order to ensure that the prosecution of corruption, especially of complex and high-level cases, is not negatively affected;

    47.  Recalls that sufficient financial and human resources are needed to ensure effective and consistent application of dissuasion, prevention, detection, investigation and sanction mechanisms for public office holders through broad measures covering conflicts of interest, lobbying, codes of ethics and whistle-blower protection;

    48.  Notes that the perceived level of trust in the judiciary remains very low and that further efforts are needed to prevent undue influence and intimidation; underlines the lack of progress in the implementation of the 2020 strategies for human resources management in the courts and in the public prosecutor’s office; calls strongly for the critical shortage of judges and prosecutors, which impacts the quality and efficiency of justice, to be addressed; calls for the independence and transparency of judicial bodies to be strengthened and for the funds necessary for their effective functioning to be allocated;

    49.  Calls for the strengthening of the Judicial Council and the Council of Prosecutors and for the allocation of necessary funds, while ensuring their independence; strongly urges political actors to cease interfering in judicial institutions;

    50.  Notes, with concern, the lack of progress in preventing and fighting corruption, and that financial investigations remain problematic; underlines how corruption continues to severely affect crucial policy areas; calls for the operational capacity and cooperation of agencies responsible for fighting organised crime and financial crime to be significantly strengthened, including through ensuring the necessary financial resources; encourages the country to improve its fight against organised and economic crime and cybercrime through a strengthened partnership with Europol, the European Cybercrime Centre and Eurojust; calls on North Macedonia to enhance its efforts to combat money laundering;

    51.  Calls for all necessary measures to be put in place to effectively counter organised crime; urges the authorities to improve coordination through the National Coordination Centre for the Fight Against Organised Crime as well as to allocate the necessary funds and staffing to the Office of the Basic Public Prosecutor for Organised Crime and Corruption; underlines the need to direct particular attention and resources towards uncovering money-laundering schemes;

    52.  Notes, with concern, North Macedonia’s partial alignment with the EU acquis in the fight against organised crime; reiterates its call for further alignment with the EU acquis and for systematic financial investigations, stepping up the freezing, confiscation, management and disposal of illegally acquired assets;

    53.  Calls for a thorough and transparent investigation of the Kočani nightclub fire on 16 March 2025, to bring to justice the persons responsible, and also for the legislation to be updated and thoroughly implemented to prevent similar tragedies and ensure better public safety and regulatory compliance to protect citizens;

    54.  Calls for the swift implementation of the ongoing reforms in the security and intelligence sectors, and for the independence of security and intelligence bodies to be strengthened through the establishment of appropriate regulatory frameworks, while also enhancing democratic oversight mechanisms; notes, with concern, that the National Security Agency is still located on the premises of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, calling into question its status as an independent state administration body;

    55.  Commends North Macedonia’s strong determination to counter hybrid threats; welcomes the government’s initiative to create a national strategic framework to counter disinformation as well as the adoption of the national cybersecurity strategy 2025-2028; calls for further efforts to build resilience against foreign interference and information manipulation; underlines the need to work on a national strategy to build resilience against disinformation as a security threat to the state, including through enhanced cybersecurity measures and strategic communication as well as education and media literacy; calls for the full operationalisation of EU mechanisms, such as the rapid alert system, to detect malign foreign influence in real time during key democratic processes, including elections;

    56.  Is deeply concerned that North Macedonia and other EU accession countries in the Western Balkans are being particularly hard hit by foreign interference and disinformation campaigns, including hybrid threats, strategic corruption, opaque financial flows and coercive investment practices, notably originating in Russia and China; is alarmed by the roles of the Hungarian and Serbian Governments in advancing China’s and Russia’s geopolitical objectives; notes, in this context, the risk of dependence on China caused by asymmetrical loan agreements, as well as the recent loan from the Hungarian bank Eximbank, which appears to be sourced from China;

    Socio-economic reforms

    57.  Recommends that North Macedonia continue to pursue steps to improve the business climate and infrastructure, strengthen education and digital infrastructure, and enhance social protection systems and their connection to employment initiatives; welcomes the inclusion of human capital-related reforms in the Growth Plan Reform Agenda and calls on North Macedonia to dedicate sufficient effort to implementing these reforms to achieve sustainable results in the development of human capital for children and young people, as the foundation of resilient societies and sustainable growth;

    58.  Welcomes the adoption of the Reform Agenda and the multiannual work programme under the Reform and Growth Facility for North Macedonia, which will provide support for small and medium-sized enterprises, cut red tape and digitalise the public system, and welcomes the steps provided for in the Reform Agenda regarding the digital infrastructure roll-out and the new Law on Electronic Communications, aligning the national legislation with the relevant EU acquis and keeping up with the digital transition worldwide;

    59.  Encourages labour market activation strategies for young people, the long-term unemployed, and low-skilled individuals, as well as for women, persons with disabilities and Roma, and calls for these measures to be properly evaluated; takes note of the long-term improvement in unemployment rates, notes, however, that this must be accompanied by a rise in real wages, the improvement of working conditions and the protection of workers’ rights, including trade union rights; calls for the full implementation of the Law on the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes;

    60.  Encourages North Macedonia to advance its digital transformation, particularly by improving the digital skills of all citizens and by providing online access to public services; recognises the demographic challenges faced by North Macedonia, including population decline, the emigration of young professionals, and an ageing workforce, and underlines the need to address the brain drain, especially in the medical, technological and educational fields; calls for the implementation of targeted policies to reverse the brain drain, enhance family-friendly social policies and attract return migration; encourages cooperation with the EU on demographic resilience strategies, including labour market incentives, housing support for young families, and investment in education and skills development to align with future job market needs; calls for increased support for innovation and competitiveness;

    61.  Welcomes the positive effects of the Youth Guarantee on the reduction of youth unemployment; calls on North Macedonia to intensify its efforts to reduce the unemployment rate of young people aged between 15 and 24, which remains high at 29.3 %; underlines the need to address social challenges, ensure quality employment policies, foster upward social cohesion and convergence towards EU standards and support progress on the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights;

    62.  Welcomes the efforts to amend the labour law; urges full alignment of the Law on Working Relations with EU directives to effectively guarantee the right to equal pay for equal work, ensure pay transparency and enhance protection against discrimination based on pregnancy and maternity; insists on the need to strengthen the competencies and capacities of the State Labour Inspectorate to ensure effective protection of workers’ rights, including safeguards against labour discrimination;

    63.  Commends North Macedonia for joining the single euro payments area (SEPA), recognising this as an important step toward deeper financial integration with the European market and the facilitation of faster, more efficient cross-border transactions; urges North Macedonia to introduce structural reforms to strengthen the economy and secure the country’s debt sustainability;

    64.  Welcomes the calls for the prompt integration of all of the Western Balkans into the EU’s digital single market at the earliest opportunity, which would crucially benefit the creation of a digitally safe environment;

    65.  Urges the authorities to fully implement existing legal provisions to ensure access to primary healthcare services, with a particular focus on sexual and reproductive health for women, mothers and children, and eliminate barriers related to geography, finances or other hardships; calls for targeted measures to support vulnerable groups of women in accessing healthcare, including Roma women, rural women and those living in poverty;

    66.  Welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the Strategy for Inclusion of Roma 2022-2030; regrets, however, that the strategy lacks a clear approach to participation, empowerment and capacity building; calls on the authorities to implement the respective action plans, ensuring proper monitoring and meaningful and transparent participation of civil society organisations, notably from the Roma community;

    Environment, biodiversity, energy and transport

    67.  Welcomes the adoption of the Energy Law in 2025 and underscores its importance for guaranteeing a safe, secure and high-quality supply of energy as well as for creating an efficient, competitive and financially sustainable energy sector; encourages the authorities to continue on this ambitious path and recalls that additional efforts are needed to fully meet the targets for energy efficiency, renewable energy, security of supply and emissions reductions; urges the country’s authorities to align their environment and climate change legislation with the EU acquis and to ensure its enforcement; notes, with concern, the lack of progress on climate action and the pending adoption of key legislation; stresses the need to integrate gender equality and social inclusion into climate action planning so that women, low-income households and marginalised communities are actively consulted and benefit equitably from the transition;

    68.  Welcomes the European Investment Bank’s continued financial and technical support in North Macedonia, including strategic infrastructure projects such as the Rail Corridors VIII and X, the Skopje wastewater treatment plant, and municipal water infrastructure development; calls for an inclusive and just transition which protects the socially vulnerable, by mobilising public and private financing for the green transition, fully operationalising dedicated funding mechanisms and leveraging EU and international support; stresses the need to address the problems of a lack of specialised staff and weak institutional and administrative capacity, which undermine quality control and the adequate performance of environmental impact assessments;

    69.  Notes, with concern, that air and water quality and wastewater management remain particularly challenging issues for the country; urges the central government and local authorities to step up their efforts in order to improve air quality and reduce potentially lethal pollution; recalls that the situation is particularly alarming in Skopje, which has consistently been one of the most polluted cities in Europe;

    70.  Recognises North Macedonia’s great potential as a regional hub with regard to the use of renewable energy sources; urges North Macedonia to fully align its environmental impact assessment with the EU acquis, with a particular focus on secondary legislation concerning small hydropower projects;

    71.  Stresses the urgent need to prioritise environmental protection; strongly urges the authorities to adopt the necessary legislation and to step up measures on biodiversity, water, air and climate action, and regional waste management, including through comprehensive impact assessments, rigorous prosecution of environmental crime and proper public consultation that allows for the meaningful and transparent involvement of local communities, NGOs and scientific institutions;

    72.  Calls on North Macedonia to establish legal protections for Emerald Sites designated under the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (the Bern Convention) to safeguard them from environmentally harmful projects; encourages the country to expand its protected areas, with a view to fulfilling the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets; reiterates the urgent need to adopt the law on the re-proclamation of Mavrovo National Park to ensure the continuation and completion of its essential conservation efforts; encourages North Macedonia to include Jablanica on its list of protected areas, thus ensuring the conservation of habitats that are critical to the survival of species;

    73.  Encourages the authorities of North Macedonia to implement stricter protection and management strategies for the habitats of endangered species, as well as for the species themselves, particularly the Balkan lynx, including rigorous enforcement of laws against wildlife crimes, specifically illegal killing and poaching, to safeguard biodiversity;

    74.  Welcomes North Macedonia’s continued cooperation with Kosovo and Albania regarding the transboundary Sharr Mountains National Park; encourages North Macedonia to intensify and speed up collaborative efforts with its neighbouring countries to designate transboundary protected areas and establish coherent transboundary management plans;

    75.  Stresses the need to tackle financial challenges faced by national parks to improve various aspects, including human resources and overall management, with the aim of strengthening their role in biodiversity conservation, providing recreational opportunities and supporting local economies;

    76.  Welcomes the progress made in the construction of Corridors VIII and X of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and commends the completion of the Kriva Palanka–Dlabochica–Stracin expressway; urges, however, the authorities of North Macedonia to step up their efforts to prioritise sustainable transport and upgrade energy infrastructure work towards integration in European networks and regional connectivity as well as to address persistent delays in the development of critical infrastructure, including through bilateral negotiations; calls on the Commission to assist in these efforts where needed;

    77.  Calls for additional efforts to accelerate progress on all priority sections of the core network for both rail and road, including by increasing the number of border crossings wherever possible; notes the strategic importance of Corridor VIII for the EU’s and NATO’s geostrategic autonomy, serving as a key logistics route along NATO’s southern flank;

    Regional cooperation and foreign policy

    78.  Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable and significant contributions to regional cooperation and stability via its engagement in regional economic and diplomatic initiatives such as the Berlin Process, the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, and the implementation of common regional market agreements, underlining the importance of their inclusiveness;

    79.  Welcomes the country’s commitment to nurturing good neighbourly relations and acknowledges its role as a model for the peaceful resolution of bilateral disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding; emphasises, in this regard, the importance of full implementation of international agreements with tangible results in good faith by all sides, including the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty of friendship, good neighbourliness and cooperation with Bulgaria; calls for consistent commitment to dialogue and cooperation with neighbouring countries to strengthen regional stability and foster mutual trust; calls for the further promotion of people-to-people contacts across south-eastern Europe;

    80.  Expresses concern about the so-called ‘Serbian world’ project and that some representatives of the Government of North Macedonia have been advocating and promoting this concept; condemns the participation in meetings that attempt to establish a sphere of influence undermining the sovereignty of other countries and the stability of the region;

    81.  Recalls the need to open up Yugoslav secret service archives (UDBA and KOS), kept in both North Macedonia and Serbia; emphasises the need to open these archives region-wide to deal with the totalitarian past in a transparent way, with a view to strengthening democracy, accountability and institutions in the Western Balkans;

    82.  Welcomes North Macedonia’s continued commitment to Euro-Atlantic security; commends North Macedonia’s active role in the OSCE, in particular its chairmanship of the OSCE in 2023 in a complex geopolitical environment, and substantial contributions to EU crisis management missions and military operations; commends the country’s alignment with the EU’s foreign, security and defence policy, including its clear-cut response to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine by aligning with the EU’s restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus and providing support to Ukraine; welcomes the signing of a security and defence partnership with the EU in 2024;

    83.  Regrets, however, that North Macedonia, was the only country in the Western Balkans to abstain on the European resolution on Ukraine in the UN General Assembly in February 2025 and instead co-sponsored the US resolution, alongside countries such as Georgia and Hungary, representing a negative signal regarding North Macedonia’s alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy and with the collective European commitment to upholding peace, international law and democratic principles;

    84.  Acknowledges North Macedonia’s NATO membership as a significant geostrategic contribution to regional security and Euro-Atlantic stability, including through the country’s active participation in NATO missions and operations and its strategic role in fostering peace and cooperation in the Western Balkans, as well as through the ongoing modernisation of its armed forces and reforms in the fields of crisis management, critical infrastructure and cyber defence; highlights the fact that NATO membership strengthens North Macedonia’s defence capabilities, enhances security coordination with EU and NATO allies, and serves as a deterrent against external destabilisation efforts; encourages North Macedonia to deepen cooperation with the EU and NATO on countering hybrid threats, including through cybersecurity coordination, joint disinformation tracking and resilience-building, and to pursue its efforts to deter external destabilisation attempts; encourages North Macedonia to continue its investment in defence modernisation and alignment with NATO strategic priorities in order to further solidify its role as a reliable security partner;

    85.  Welcomes the agreement concluded at the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana on reduced roaming costs; calls, in this respect, on the authorities, private actors and all stakeholders to facilitate achieving the agreed targets of a substantial reduction of data roaming charges between the Western Balkans and the EU and further reductions leading to prices close to the domestic prices by 2027; welcomes the entering into force of the first phase of implementation of the roadmap for roaming between the Western Balkans and the EU;

    o
    o   o

    86.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the President of the European Council, the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the President, Government and Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia.

    (1) OJ L 84, 20.3.2004, p. 13, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2004/239(2)/oj.
    (2) OJ L 330, 20.9.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1529/oj.
    (3) OJ L, 2024/1449, 24.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1449/oj.
    (4) OJ C 202, 28.5.2021, p. 86.
    (5) Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market and amending Directive 2010/13/EU (European Media Freedom Act) (OJ L, 2024/1083, 17.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1083/oj).
    (6) Directive (EU) 2024/1069 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court proceedings (‘Strategic lawsuits against public participation’) (OJ L, 2024/1069, 16.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1069/oj).

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/11/2025 Blackburn, Cotton, Kustoff Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Protect Americans from Violent Criminals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and U.S. Representative David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) introduced the Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act, which would reinstate an important tool for prosecutors to seek enhanced penalties against violent, repeat offenders:

    “Violent, repeat offenders have no business being back on our streets,” said Senator Blackburn.“We’ve seen the heartbreaking consequences of rewarding repeat offenders with the freedom to victimize more law-abiding Americans. The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act would empower prosecutors to keep dangerous felons behind bars and prevent future tragedies.”

    “Violent, repeat criminals should be behind bars, not roaming the streets threatening law-abiding citizens,” said Senator Cotton. “The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act will give back federal prosecutors the tool they need to lock up hardened, repeat offenders.”

    “Career criminals are a danger to our citizens and our communities,” said Representative Kustoff. “The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act will reinstate a critical tool that allows prosecutors to seek tougher penalties for violent career criminals. I appreciate Senator Marsha Blackburn and Senator Tom Cotton for their work on this important bill.”

    BACKGROUND

    • The Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), which became law in 1984, requires a minimum 15-year prison sentence for felons convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm who have three prior state or federal convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses, which must have been committed on three different occasions. These are the worst-of-the worst, career criminals. 
    • The ACCA defines serious drug offenses as those punishable by imprisonment for 10 years or more. It defines violent felonies as those:
      • That have an element of threat, attempt, or use of physical force against another person;
      • That involve burglary, arson, or extortion; or
      • That constitute crimes similar to burglary, arson, or extortion under what is known as the ACCA’s “residual clause.” This is any crime that otherwise involves conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical injury to another person.
    • In 2015, the Supreme Court in Johnson v. United States declared the residual clause unconstitutionally vague and thus effectively void. 
      • Many criminals were sentenced under the ACCA and their premature release following the Johnson decision resulted in tragic consequences.
      • In 2016, Cornelius Spencer, a gang member with nine felony convictions—including drug trafficking, aggravated assault, and robbery—was released a full five years before his sentence was up. In 2018, he was charged with raping two Arkansans, including a 62-year-old woman and a 21-year-old autistic, homeless man. These crimes would never have occurred if Spencer had not been prematurely released.
    • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel has labeled Memphis, Tennessee, as the “homicide capital of America.”
      • Memphis leads the United States in homicides per capita.

    o    The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act would give federal prosecutors in Memphis the tools they need to keep violent criminals behind bars.

    THE RESTORING THE ARMED CAREER CRIMINAL ACT

    • The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act would do away with the concepts of “violent felony” and “serious drug offense” and replace them with a single category of “serious felony.” The bill defines “serious felony” as any crime punishable by 10 years or more.
    • By defining “serious felony” solely based on the potential term of imprisonment, the bill would address the vagueness issue and remove any discretion or doubt about which offenses qualify.
    • Importantly, the bill would give federal prosecutors an additional tool to go after the most dangerous, career criminals and would not apply to low-level offenders.

    Click here for bill text.

    ENDORSEMENTS

    The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act is endorsed by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, and the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition:

    “I am grateful for Congressman Kustoff and Senator Blackburn’s leadership on this important legislation that ensures serious federal time for dangerous criminals. Career criminals with guns put our communities at risk.  This legislation restores prosecutors’ ability to seek appropriate enhanced penalties for dangerous repeat offenders while ensuring the law meets constitutional standards. This common-sense approach will keep violent criminals off our streets,” said Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.

    “Senator Blackburn’s Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act will empower federal prosecutors to target Memphis’ most dangerous career criminals, delivering a much-needed boost in tackling Memphis’ crime challenge. Her relentless focus on Shelby County’s safety will help us restore law and order. As I work to Make Memphis Matter, Senator Blackburn’s partnership ensures we’ll Make Memphis Safe Again,” said Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor.

    “This bill empowers law enforcement and the justice system to better protect the public—especially at a time when some of our nation’s cities are still struggling to bring down violent crime rates. The Fraternal Order of Police firmly stands behind this effort to bring clarity, consistency, and safety back to our neighborhoods,” said Patrick Yoes, the Fraternal Order of Police National President.

    “Congress passed the Armed Career Criminal Act in 1984 to protect our nation’s communities from the most dangerous violent criminals. Unfortunately, this important law was essentially voided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 due to part of the definition of “violent felony” being unconstitutionally vague, taking away an important tool that law enforcement used to get the worst career criminals off our streets. The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act will fix and restore the Act, giving law enforcement and prosecutors back a significant resource in the fight against violent crime. We thank Senator Blackburn for her leadership and support,” said Bill Johnson, Executive Director of the National Association of Police Organizations.

    “The National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC) strongly supports the Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act, led by Senator Blackburn and Congressman Kustoff, because it gives law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to keep communities safe. Violent, repeat offenders continue to drive much of the serious crime in our neighborhoods, and this legislation ensures they can be effectively identified and prosecuted. By clearly defining serious felonies, the bill strengthens our ability to focus federal resources where they’re most needed. We appreciate Senator Blackburn and Congressman Kustoff’s leadership on this important public safety measure,” said Eric Brown, President of the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition.

    RELATED

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Gillibrand, Collins And Reps. Castro, Ciscomani Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill To Strengthen Early Childhood Education Workforce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Susan Collins (R-ME) reintroduced the Head Start for Our Future Act, bipartisan legislation that would make child development and early education jobs eligible as community services under the Federal Work-Study program. By allowing schools to offer students opportunities working in child development and early learning services, this bill would enable students attending college and universities to get firsthand experience in one of the most important jobs in the country – educating our nation’s youngest minds. This bill will also help alleviate ongoing staffing shortages in the early childhood education workforce. Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    “Head Start is an investment in our future that helps make sure that every child has the support and services they need to thrive,” said Senator Gillibrand. “My Head Start for Our Future Act would help build the robust workforce needed to support early childhood development, while empowering college students to gain valuable hands-on experience and make a real contribution in their communities. I look forward to working to get this important legislation across the finish line.”

    “By further integrating college students into Head Start and Early Head Start programs, we not only help create opportunities for those students, but also provide a stronger foundation for the early development and education of future generations,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill aims to empower students to make meaningful contributions in their communities, while better ensuring that more children receive a quality introduction to the world of learning.”

    “We can strengthen the infrastructure of opportunity for future generations by expanding the Federal Work-Study program to improve educational outcomes for young children and build a stronger pipeline of future teachers,” said Congressman Castro. “The Head Start for Our Future Act will help university students earn real-world, paid experience as early childhood educators, benefiting both our children and those who teach them.”

    “As a dad of six, I fully understand the critical role early childhood development programs play in the lives of students and families,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “Arizona has 22 Head Start programs across 500 locations and they have proven to be essential to opening the doors of opportunity and helping our kids realize their dreams. The Head Start for Our Future Act builds on that track record of success by improving the early educator pipeline and empowering university students to gain hands-on experience as early childhood education teachers in the real world. This bill will be a game changer.”

    Head Start and Early Head Start provide comprehensive child development programs and support services for low-income children, including early education, health screenings, social and emotional health services, nutrition services, and services for children with disabilities. The bill is endorsed by the National Head Start Association, the School Superintendents Association, and Association of Educational Service Agencies.

    “The Head Start for Our Future Act takes an important step toward strengthening the early childhood education workforce by providing an opportunity for college students to gain direct, hands-on experience in Head Start and other early learning settings,” said Yasmina Vinci, Executive Director of the National Head Start Association. “By expanding Federal Work-Study to include child development and early learning, including Head Start, this legislation helps build a stronger pipeline of skilled educators, supports students pursuing meaningful careers, and addresses staffing shortages that impact children and families nationwide, advancing a solution that helps ensure continued access to high-quality early learning in communities across the country.”

    Read the full text of the Head Start for Our Future Act here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $20 Million In Federal Funding For 16 Airports Across New York State

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Major Projects Include Over $6 Million For Long Island’s Republic Airport And Over $5 Million For Buffalo Niagara International Airport

    Today, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee, announced $21,155,843 in federal funding to upgrade airport facilities and equipment at 16 airports across New York State. This federal funding was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program and will help fund projects that strengthen safety measures, modernize terminals, and enhance passenger experience at New York’s airports.

    “Keeping our airports in top-notch state is crucial for traveler safety and attracting business and tourism across New York State. Our regional airports are a gateway for commerce, tourism and are vital connectors for residents and visitors. This $21+ million in federal funding will help airports from Long Island to Buffalo reach new heights,” said Senator Schumer. “As Americans across the country have grown more concerned about aviation safety, I’ve fought hard to boost the Airport Improvement Program so our local airports in NY have the resources they need to maintain the highest safety standards. This significant federal investment will help make much-needed improvements so our local economies take off.”

    “From big cities to rural communities, New York’s airports are gateways for commerce, tourism, and travel. It’s vital that every airport has the resources it needs to provide a safe and comfortable experience for anyone who travels through our state,” said Senator Gillibrand. “That’s why I’m proud to announce more than $21 million for airport projects that will deliver critical safety and infrastructure upgrades while enhancing reliability and comfort. I look forward to seeing the impact these improvements will have and will continue fighting for more federal funding to support the upgrades that airports across the country desperately need.”

    A full list of funding recipients can be found below:

    Region Recipient Project Description Award
    Central New York Oswego County Airport Reconstructs existing runway signage and rehabilitates existing runway lighting. Additionally, reconstructs the precision approach path indicator system $76,950
    Finger Lakes Ithaca Tompkins International Airport Acquires new aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment $128,144
    Finger Lakes Ithaca Tompkins International Airport Replaces existing snow removal equipment $1,091,037
    Finger Lakes Penn Yan Airport Rehabilitates 3,561 feet of existing paved runway and existing runway lighting $271,700
    Finger Lakes Penn Yan Airport Replaces existing snow removal equipment including one carrier vehicle that has reached the end of its useful life $507,300
    Finger Lakes Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport Rehabilitates existing aircraft rescue and firefighting building $703,440
    Finger Lakes Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport Removes airport trees identified as obstructions by the Federal Aviation Administration $256,122
    Finger Lakes Le Roy Airport Removes 8 acres of trees and other facilities, installs lights, identifies obstructions and brings the airport into conformity with current standards $469,225
    Long Island Republic Airport Reconstructs an existing gate and rehabilitates existing runway $6,508,930
    North Country Lake Placid Airport Reconstructs 1,100 square yards of the existing General Aviation Apron pavement and rehabilitates an additional 5,600 square yards of existing General Aviation Apron pavement $156,037
    North Country Lake Placid Airport Replaces existing snow removal equipment $270,154
    North Country Massena International Airport Replaces existing snow removal equipment $253,518
    North Country Plattsburgh International Airport Acquires new snow removal equipment $1,110,797
    North Country Ogdensburg International Airport Terminal expansion $476,968
    North Country Ogdensburg International Airport Conducts an airport wildlife hazard assessment and develops a wildlife hazard management plan $181,174
    Southern Tier Greater Binghamton Airport Reconstructs 51,000 square feet of existing terminal building and replaces the electrical system and associated lighting $1,300,000
    Southern Tier Corning–Painted Post Airport Rehabilitates 3,269 feet of existing paved runway $731,951
    Western New York Jamestown Airport Reconstructs the existing terminal lighting and 13,900 square yards of the existing pavement $201,400
    Western New York Buffalo Niagara International Airport Rehabilitates existing taxiway pavement and lighting $5,680,000
    Western New York Buffalo-Lancaster Regional Airport Updates the existing airport master plan study $386,272
    Western New York Akron Jesson Field Conducts an initial pavement survey and develops a new pavement management plan $394,724

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd Joins Risch to Introduce Bill Banning Radical Gender Ideology in K-12 Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to codify President Trump’s executive order preventing taxpayer dollars from funding radical gender ideology in K-12 schools.

    “For far too long, radical left-wing ideology has preyed on K-12 students in our nation’s school systems. It’s high time we put a stop to these woke lesson plans that take advantage of children and undermine parental rights. I am proud to join Senator Risch and my colleagues to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding public schools that teach gender ideology,” said Senator Budd.

    “Schools should prepare our children for the future, not promote radical gender ideology. The Say No to Indoctrination Act puts an end to woke education practices in K-12 schools and makes President Trump’s common-sense policy permanent,” said Senator Risch.

    The bill was also co-sponsored by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).

    The Say No to Indoctrination Act has received support from Concerned Women for America and American Principles Project.

    Read the full bill text HERE.

    BACKGROUND

    The Say No to Indoctrination Act codifies the Executive Order President Trump issued on January 20, 2025, declaring that no taxpayer dollars be sent to K-12 schools that teach or promote radical gender ideology.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Top track stars race to Edmonton

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norcross Joins Lawmakers in Introducing Bipartisan Resolution Honoring Journeymen Lineworkers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Representatives Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.) led 143 members of the House of Representatives in introducing a bipartisan resolution designating July 10 as Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. 

    “As an electrician by trade, I’m proud to join Representatives Sánchez, Fitzpatrick and Bresnahan in introducing a resolution to designate July 10th as Lineworkers Appreciation Day, recognizing the 120,000 lineworkers across the country who work tirelessly to power our communities,” said Congressman Norcross, co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “These men and women often work throughout the night in hazardous conditions and after natural disasters to keep America on, and they deserve to be honored for their courageous efforts.” 

    “Every day, lineworkers rise to the challenge – often working long hours in hazardous conditions – to keep the lights on and our communities running,” said Congresswoman Sánchez, the first woman member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) elected to Congress. “From rebuilding the grid after major storms to maintaining the systems that power our daily lives, their steadfast dedication ensures that our communities stay connected.”

    “Our journeyman lineworkers are the frontline defenders of our infrastructure. They respond without hesitation – often at great personal risk – to restore the power that sustains our homes, hospitals, and economy. In Pennsylvania’s First District and across the nation, I’ve met with these dedicated men and women, listened to their concerns, and worked to ensure they have the respect, protection, and resources they deserve. This resolution is not merely symbolic – it is a formal recognition of their service and a promise to have their backs, just as they always have ours,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick. 

    “I want to express my deep gratitude to the skilled men and women who work around the clock not only on Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day, but every day,” said Congressman Bresnahan. “As the former Chairman of an IBEW Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, I know firsthand the dedication lineworkers have to keeping our lights on and our communities running smoothly. I am glad to join Representatives Sánchez, Fitzpatrick, and Norcross to recognize their vital importance to our communities.” 

    “America’s lineworkers are heroes in every sense of the word, putting their own safety on the line day in and day out to provide the electricity that powers every aspect of our modern lives,” said IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper. “Honoring them on this day is fitting, but our gratitude for them and the work they do lasts year-round. The IBEW is proud to represent the best of the best of our nation’s lineworkers and to thank them for all they do for all of us.” 

    The resolution designates July 10 as National Journeyman Lineworkers Day to honor Henry Miller, the founder and first president of the IBEW. Miller began his career at age 14 as a water boy on a government telegraph project in Texas. Years later, while working as a lineman, Miller became acutely aware of the dangerous conditions and subpar wages his fellow workers faced. He traveled across the country to organize linemen and was elected as the first president of the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in 1891. Sadly, Miller suffered a fatal fall on July 10, 1896, while working to solve a power outage in Washington, D.C. Today, the IBEW represents one of the largest and most diverse unions in the country. 

    The full text of the resolution is available HERE. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas Hill Country flooding: aerial imagery

    Source: US National Ocean Service News

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  • MIL-OSI USA: July 11, 2025 Mullin, Matsui, Whitehouse, Padilla Reintroduce Legislation to Reduce Ocean Shipping Pollution, Modernize Maritime Industry Today, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), and Alex Padilla (D-CA), a member of the Committee, along with Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA-07) and Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), reintroduced legislation aimed at… Read More

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Mullin California (15th District)

    Today, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), and Alex Padilla (D-CA), a member of the Committee, along with Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA-07) and Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), reintroduced legislation aimed at reducing harmful pollution from the global shipping industry.  Maritime shipping is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions around the world and a major contributor to air pollution in port communities.

    Led by Senators Whitehouse and Padilla and Representatives Matsui and Mullin, the bicameral International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act would decarbonize the emissions-heavy maritime shipping industry, prevent the release of criteria air pollutants in port communities, and revitalize the U.S. shipping industry.  Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Peter Welch (D-VT) are cosponsors. 

    “Communities near our ports—like those in the San Francisco Bay Area—bear the brunt of pollution from ships that fuel global trade. The International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act ensures that the global shipping industry does its part to reduce emissions. The revenue from these pollution fees will help speed the shift to cleaner ships and healthier ports. I’m proud to partner with Congresswoman Matsui to advance this policy that meets the urgency of the climate crisis while protecting the people and places most impacted by maritime emissions,” said Congressman Kevin Mullin, who co-led reintroduction of the International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act in the House.

    “As climate change destroys lives and drives up costs for families, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach to avoid the worst consequences for communities, businesses, and the environment,” said Ranking Member Whitehouse.  “Encouragingly, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has put forward a global carbon price on shipping emissions.  This legislation reinforces that work, further cutting harmful emissions while supporting the maritime innovators that are pioneering clean technologies to protect public health and can help put us on course to climate safety.”

    “California’s ports are the powerhouse of our country’s economy, moving critical freight and providing good-paying jobs, all while leading the nation’s decarbonizing efforts. But neighboring communities have been forced to shoulder the brunt of global shipping pollution for too long,” said Senator Padilla. “Our legislation would strengthen the sustainability of our shipping industry by reducing emissions in maritime transportation while simultaneously protecting coastal communities. The health of our communities and our planet requires us to be forward-looking and ambitious — we owe future generations nothing less than bold, transformative action.”

    “The climate crisis isn’t a distant threat. It’s here, it’s accelerating, and it’s devastating communities across our state and our country,” said Congresswoman Matsui, who co-led reintroduction of the International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act in the House. “We must act quickly to reduce greenhouse gases and other harmful air pollution across our economy. The International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act takes decisive action to slash pollution from cargo ships and provide urgently needed investment in clean maritime technology and infrastructure. While the International Maritime Organization made history this spring by approving a global net-zero shipping framework, President Trump tried to derail negotiations and continues to block any action to fight climate change. This bill would ensure the U.S. is leading—not lagging—on climate action.  As Trump and his allies double down on climate denial and fossil fuel handouts, we’re fighting back with real solutions that protect public health and the planet.”

    “Investing in green transportation–both on land and at sea–is vital to tackling the climate crisis. That includes supporting clean shipping initiatives that help protect communities from harmful emissions,” said Senator Welch, a cosponsor of the International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act.  “I’m glad to join Senator Whitehouse in introducing this bill to increase accountability for large polluters and help modernize America’s shipping fleet and port infrastructure.”

    Globally, maritime shipping is a major source of climate-warming pollution, including climate-warming GHG emissions (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) and harmful air pollutant emissions (oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, and fine particulate matter). According to the International Maritime Organization 2020 GHG Study, the global shipping industry emits approximately one billion tons of GHG emissions per year, roughly three percent of total anthropogenic global-warming carbon-dioxide emissions. The study projects in future scenarios that shipping’s GHG emissions could more than double between 2018 and 2050 without action. These emissions are not only harmful for the environment, but they jeopardize the air quality and public health of the nearly 40 percent of Americans who live within three miles of a port.

    Maritime shipping is the largest source of traded goods, both for the U.S. and globally.  Unlike other modes of transportation (trucks, planes, etc.), marine shipping vessels rarely pay fuel taxes.  Implementing a pollution fee would address this loophole while encouraging domestic manufacturing and reducing the U.S. trade deficit, which approached $1.2 trillion in 2024.

    International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act

    The International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act would:

    ·        Impose a pollution fee on the largest marine vessels offloading cargo at U.S. ports, driving industry-wide decarbonization efforts and incentivizing the use and development of cleaner maritime fuels. 

    ·        Levy a $150 per ton fee on the carbon emissions of fuel burned on an inbound trip, as well as fees for the nitrogen oxides ($6.30/lb.), sulfur dioxide ($18/lb.), and particle pollution (PM2.5) ($38.90/lb.) that ships emit.  The fees would apply only to those ships with 5,000 gross tonnage or more, excluding most of the domestic industry, and the fee on carbon emissions would sunset if the IMO implemented and enforced a fee on the greenhouse gas emissions of marine shipping that was equal to or greater than the $150 per ton fee levied in the bill. 

    ·        Provide critical funding for modernizing the Jones Act fleet with low-carbon vessels, revitalizing and electrifying U.S. shipbuilding, and addressing pollutants in America’s port communities, along our coasts, and in our oceans.

    The International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act has been endorsed by EV Maritime, Friends of the Earth, GreenLatinos, Ocean Conservancy, Pacific Environment, San Pedro & Peninsula Homeowners Coalition, Sierra Club, 350 Bay Area Action, and 350 Brooklyn.

    Full text of the International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act is available HERE, and a one-pager is available HERE. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Signs Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act into Law

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JULY 11, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill (SB) 71, containing the Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act that delivers support for first responders and their families through education incentives.

    “Missouri’s public safety professionals dedicate their lives to protecting our communities, and they deserve more than just our thanks—they deserve real support,” said Governor Kehoe. “SB 71 makes a meaningful investment in their futures and the futures of their families, helping ensure Missouri remains a state where service is honored, and opportunity follows sacrifice.”

    SB 71, sponsored by Senator David Gregory and Representative Dave Hinman, contains provisions relating to public safety.

    • Establishes the Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act, providing financial aid to eligible public safety personnel and their dependent children to help cover the cost of college tuition and fees for certain majors.
      • Public safety personnel with at least 6 years of service and the dependent children of public safety personnel with at least ten years of service are eligible to receive 100% tuition coverage if they agree to live in Missouri until they complete their degree or for five years from the date they first receive tuition assistance.
    • Authorizes the Board of Trustees of the Firemen’s Retirement System of St. Louis to also serve as the board of trustees of the St. Louis Firefighter’s Retirement Plan, which also provides retirement, disability, and death benefits for firefighters employed by the City of St. Louis.
    • Strengthens penalties for burglary and motor vehicle-related crimes committed with the intent to steal, including:
      • Classifies the entrance of a vehicle with the intent to steal or commit a felony as a class D felony, which is then elevated to a class C felony if such an act is committed while in possession of a firearm or stolen firearm from the vehicle.
      • Classifies the act of unlawfully gaining entry into a motor vehicle, initiated by the lifting of a door handle or otherwise testing the doors and locks in an attempt to gain entry for the purpose of stealing, as a class A misdemeanor.
    • Extends the Line of Duty Compensation Act, which provides for compensation for a public safety officer killed in the line of duty.

    The bill signing took place at the St. Louis Fire Department headquarters and builds on Governor Kehoe’s commitment to public safety, workforce development, and supporting those who serve.

    The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development will implement the Public Safety Recruitment & Retention Act Scholarship. An application and specific verifying documentation will be required to be considered for this scholarship. The department will continue to update its website with additional information as it becomes available.

    For more information on the legislation and additional provisions signed into law, visit house.mo.gov and senate.mo.gov. Photos from the bill signing will be uploaded to Governor Kehoe’s Flickr page. Additional bill signings will continue to take place over the next several days. For more information on the bill signings, view Governor Kehoe’s schedule.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How citizenship chaos was averted, for now, by a class action injunction against Trump’s birthright citizenship order

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Julie Novkov, Professor of Political Science and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, University at Albany, State University of New York

    Protesters support birthright citizenship on May 15, 2025, outside of the Supreme Court in Washington. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

    Legal battles over President Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship continued on July 10, 2025, after a New Hampshire federal district judge issued a preliminary injunction that will, if it’s not reversed, prevent federal officials from enforcing the order nationally.

    The ruling by U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante, a George W. Bush appointee, asserts that this policy of “highly questionable constitutionality … constitutes irreparable harm.”

    In its ruling in late June, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to deny citizenship to infants born to undocumented parents in many parts of the nation where individuals or states had not successfully sued to prevent implementation – including a number of mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southern states.

    Trump’s executive order limits U.S. citizenship by birth to those who have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. It denies citizenship to those born to undocumented people within the U.S. and to the children of those on student, work, tourist and certain other types of visas.

    The preliminary injunction is on hold for seven days to allow the Trump administration to appeal.

    The June 27 Supreme Court decision on birthright citizenship limited the ability of lower-court judges to issue universal injunctions to block such executive orders nationwide.

    Laplante was able to avoid that limit on issuing a nationwide injunction by certifying the case as a class action lawsuit encompassing all children affected by the birthright order, following a pathway suggested by the Supreme Court’s ruling.

    Pathways beyond universal injunctions

    In its recent birthright citizenship ruling, Trump v. CASA, the Supreme Court noted that plaintiffs could still seek broad relief by filing such class action lawsuits that would join together large groups of individuals facing the same injury from the law they were challenging.

    And that’s what happened.

    Litigants filed suit in New Hampshire’s district court the same day that the Supreme Court decided CASA. They asked the court to certify a class consisting of infants born on or after Feb. 20, 2025, who would be covered by the order and their parents or prospective parents. The court allowed the suit to proceed as a class action for these infants.

    President Donald Trump takes questions on June 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C., after the Supreme Court ruled on the birthright citizenship case.
    Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    What if this injunction doesn’t stick?

    If the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit or the Supreme Court invalidates the New Hampshire court’s newest national injunction and another injunction is not issued in a different venue, the order will then go into effect anywhere it is not currently barred from doing so. Implementation could begin in as many as 28 states where state attorneys general have not challenged the Trump birthright citizenship policy if no other individuals or groups secure relief.

    As political science scholars who study race and immigration policy, we believe that, if implemented piecemeal, Trump’s birthright citizenship order would create administrative chaos for states determining the citizenship status of infants born in the United States. And it could lead to the first instances since the 1860s of infants being born in the U.S. being denied citizenship categorically.

    States’ role in establishing citizenship

    Almost all U.S.-born children are issued birth certificates by the state in which they are born.

    The federal government’s standardized form, the U.S. standard certificate of live birth, collects data on parents’ birthplaces and their Social Security numbers, if available, and provides the information states need to issue birth certificates.

    But it does not ask questions about their citizenship or immigration status. And no national standard exists for the format for state birth certificates, which traditionally have been the simplest way for people born in the U.S. to establish citizenship.

    If Trump’s executive order goes into effect, birth certificates issued by local hospitals would be insufficient evidence of eligibility for federal government documents acknowledging citizenship. The order would require new efforts, including identification of parents’ citizenship status, before authorizing the issuance of any federal document acknowledging citizenship.

    Since states control the process of issuing birth certificates, they will respond differently to implementation efforts. Several states filed a lawsuit on Jan. 21 to block the birthright citizenship order. And they will likely pursue an arsenal of strategies to resist, delay and complicate implementation.

    While the Supreme Court has not yet confirmed that these states have standing to challenge the order, successful litigation could bar implementation in up to 18 states and the District of Columbia if injunctions are narrowly framed, or nationally if lawyers can persuade judges that disentangling the effects on a state-by-state basis will be too difficult.

    Other states will likely collaborate with the administration to deny citizenship to some infants. Some, like Texas, had earlier attempted to make it particularly hard for undocumented parents to obtain birth certificates for their children.

    People demonstrate outside the Supreme Court of the United States on May 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
    Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images

    Potential for chaos

    If the Supreme Court rejects attempts to block the executive order nationally again, implementation will be complicated.

    That’s because it would operate in some places and toward some individuals while being legally blocked in other places and toward others, as Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned in her Trump v. CASA dissent.

    Children born to plaintiffs anywhere in the nation who have successfully sued would have access to citizenship, while other children possibly born in the same hospitals – but not among the groups named in the suits – would not.

    Babies born in the days before implementation would have substantially different rights than those born the day after. Parents’ ethnicity and countries of origin would likely influence which infants are ultimately granted or denied citizenship.

    That’s because some infants and parents would be more likely to generate scrutiny from hospital employees and officials than others, including Hispanics, women giving birth near the border, and women giving birth in states such as Florida where officials are likely to collaborate enthusiastically with enforcement.

    The consequences could be profound.

    Some infants would become stateless, having no right to citizenship in another nation. Many people born in the U.S. would be denied government benefits, Social Security numbers and the ability to work legally in the U.S.

    With the constitutionality of the executive order still unresolved, it’s unclear when, if ever, some infants born in the U.S. will be the first in the modern era to be denied citizenship.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How citizenship chaos was averted, for now, by a class action injunction against Trump’s birthright citizenship order – https://theconversation.com/how-citizenship-chaos-was-averted-for-now-by-a-class-action-injunction-against-trumps-birthright-citizenship-order-260175

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Scholten Secures Nearly $2.4 Million for Critical Upgrades at Gerald R. Ford International Airport

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Hillary Scholten – Michigan

    GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Today, U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten (MI-03) announced that the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority (GRR) will receive $2,386,331 through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The grant will support key infrastructure improvements at the airport, ensuring safer, more efficient operations and long-term growth.

    “Gerald R. Ford International is a critical economic engine and a gateway to West Michigan. I’m proud to secure nearly $2.4 million to improve airport safety, extend the life of essential infrastructure, and help GRR keep pace with growing demand,” said Rep. Scholten. “These upgrades will help ensure GRR continues to operate safely and efficiently for years to come. I’ll keep fighting to bring more resources like this home to help West Michigan grow and thrive.”

    “We are incredibly grateful to Congresswoman Scholten and the Federal Aviation Administration for their continued support of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and the West Michigan region,” said Tory Richardson, President and CEO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. “This funding allows us to move forward with critical infrastructure projects that will enhance safety, improve efficiency, and support future growth. These investments help ensure we continue to deliver a world-class airport experience to our passengers, partners, and community.”

    Specifically, the grant will support Phase 1 design work for several infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving safety, extending the life of existing facilities, and increasing airport capacity to meet growing regional demand. The funding goes towards the rehabilitation of Taxiway V, which serves a vital role as a primary connection between the terminal apron and the airfield for commercial aircraft. Partial rehabilitation of the Taxiway will extend the useful life at least ten years while preserving the pavement for continued safe and efficient operations. 

    The grant also includes the full reconstruction of Taxiway D lighting, which will ensure reliability in operating the airport in a safe and efficient manner. Additionally, the grant will fund the extension of Taxiway L to accommodate more based aircraft, a move that will enhance operational efficiency and allow for future growth. GRR is currently at capacity for available airside development sites, and the construction of Taxilane L will allow for additional hangar developments. 

    As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Scholten is committed to bringing federal investment back to Michigan’s Third Congressional District and strengthening the region’s transportation infrastructure. Scholten secured $15,017,605 in total funding for GRR in the FY24- 25 fiscal year. This grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and will be administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Statement on Trump Administration’s Gutting of the State Department Workforce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement regarding reports that the Trump Administration will soon fire nearly 15 percent of the State Department’s domestic workforce:

    “President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio are once again making America less safe and less secure. A strong State Department—one that is not only fully staffed, but staffed by qualified experts free from political pressure—is essential to our national security. This is one of the most ridiculous decisions that could possibly be made at a time when China is increasing its diplomatic footprint around the world and establishing an overseas network of military and transportation bases, Russia is continuing its years-long brutal assault of a sovereign country, and the Middle East is careening from crisis to crisis. Our dedicated State Department workforce, their families, and the American people deserve better.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Applauds Committee Passage of Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Ranking Member of the SASC Subcommittee on Seapower, applauded committee passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes key provisions Kaine secured to advance U.S. national security, support servicemembers and their families, boost Virginia’s defense industry, and strengthen relations with allies and partners:

    “I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee to pass out of committee this year’s defense authorization bill. The bill includes several provisions I secured to strengthen our national security, support Virginia’s military installations and defense community, invest in our nation’s shipbuilding programs, and most importantly, improve quality of life among servicemembers and their families. I’m especially glad the bill includes a provision I pushed for to require Defense Department aircraft that operate near commercial airports to have broadcast positioning technology following the deadly collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a regional commercial jet that took 67 lives in January. I urge the full Senate to take it up as soon as possible.”

    Kaine successfully secured the following provisions:

    Pay Raises, Allowances, and Workforce Recruitment:

    • Authorizes a 3.8 percent pay raise for military personnel.
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure that pay statements for military servicemembers include clear descriptions for each type of pay, allowance, and deduction.
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to assess how current salaries of Department of Defense civilian employees are calculated under the locality pay system.
    • Provides the Secretary of Defense with direct hiring authority for up to 60 graduates of the Defense Civilian Training Corps (DCTC) every calendar year and requires a report to Congress on the use of this hiring authority. The DCTC is a pilot program that recruits and trains college students for careers as Department of Defense civilians.

    Shipbuilding Investments:

    • Authorizes investments and procurement of naval ships, including Columbia-class submarines and Medium Landing Ships.
    • Directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide a report to Congress on the Navy’s progress since 2015 in implementing the 90 recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to improve naval shipbuilding.
    • Requires the Secretary of the Navy to expedite the investigation, qualification, and integration of 23 advanced technologies and processes into Navy surface ship maintenance to improve readiness, reduce costs, and address delays.
    • Directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide a report to Congress on the status of the recommendations made by the GAO to ensure the Marine Corps has a fleet of 31 operational ships.
    • Requires the Secretary of the Navy to move leadership for surface ship maintenance at private shipyards to Type Commanders and directs a new contracting strategy that emphasizes workforce stability and collaborative planning.

    Aviation Safety: Requires that all aircraft of the Department of Defense that operate near commercial airports be equipped with broadcast positioning technology. Requires that the Department of Defense improve how it shares aviation safety data with the Federal Aviation Administration. This comes in response to the January 29, 2025 collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that took the lives of 67 people.

    Army Futures Command and Training and Doctrine Command: Requires a report on the Army’s proposed plan to integrate Army Futures Command and Training and Doctrine Command.

    Military Construction: Authorizes $993,660,000 for military construction (MILCON) in Virginia.

    • $380,000,000 for Public-Private Venture (PPV) unaccompanied housing at Naval Station Norfolk 
    • $188,000,000 for Dry Dock 3 modernization at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
    • $93,300,000 for Electric Distribution System upgrades at Naval Station Norfolk 
    • $85,000,000 for operations center at the Pentagon
    • $71,700,000 for weapons magazines at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown 
    • $63,500,000 for a Water Treatment Plant at Marine Corps Base Quantico
    • $49,000,000 for fuel system maintenance dock at Joint Base Langley-Eustis
    • $20,400,000 for MQ-25 facilities at Naval Station Norfolk 
    • $15,500,000 for an Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at Virginia Army National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility in Sandston 
    • $12,360,000 for a Child Development Center at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story
    • $11,700,000 for a Child Development Center at Naval Station Norfolk 
    • $3,200,000 for the planning and design of a new headquarters for the 192nd Wing at Langley Air Force Base

    Military Housing:

    • Authorizes increased funding to construct, repair, and improve enlisted barracks across the services.
    • Requires the Secretary of Defense to publish a clear, accessible document that explains how Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates are determined.
    • Requires the Secretary of Defense to develop an alternative methodology for calculating BAH based on the typical cost of housing units by number of bedrooms, conduct a pilot program using the new methodology, and brief Congress on the findings.
    • Requires the Secretary of Defense to include additional oversight mechanisms for any renegotiation of the contract under the Global Household Goods Contract or negotiation of a new contract under the Global Household Goods Contract of any successor program or contract.

    Health Care:

    • Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the impact of behavioral and mental health staffing shortfalls at military treatment facilities.
    • Requires a briefing on the Department of Defense’s implementation of the self-initiated referral process for mental health care.
    • Requires the establishment of a demonstration program to expand partnerships between the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities for the purpose of increasing case volume for graduate medical education programs.
    • Requires Department of Defense to review its policies for credentialing health care workers to remove barriers to accessing mental health care.
    • Requires the Department of Defense to better define its criteria for reimbursing children’s hospitals.

    Military Families:

    • Requires the Secretary of Defense to improve staffing of special education teachers and staff and improve special education offerings at Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) schools.
    • Requires an update to existing DODEA regulations on the student use of portable electronic mobile devices in DODEA schools to prohibit disruption in the learning environment.
    • Authorizes funding for Impact Aid, including funding to support military children with severe disabilities. Impact Aid reimburses school districts for the cost of educating children who reside on military installations or have a parent that works on a military installation or federal property. Because military families may not pay certain state or local taxes where they are stationed, Impact Aid helps offset these costs to support schools.

    European Security, NATO, and Ukraine:

    • Prohibits a reduction in U.S. military posture in Europe or relinquishment of U.S. command of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe position until the Secretary of Defense assesses the impact on U.S. and NATO and certifies to Congress that such action is in the national interest.
    • Authorizes funding for the NATO Security Investment Program.
    • Extends and authorizes funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
    • Requires the Secretary of Defense to deliver a report on acceleration options for the JUMPSTART initiative, which allows European partners to purchase weapons for Ukraine from U.S. defense companies.
    • Requires the Secretary of Defense to work with Ukraine to create a depot-level maintenance plan to ensure that western-transferred military equipment can be sustained and provide the plan to Congress.
    • Requires the Secretary of Defense to continue to provide intelligence support, including information, intelligence, and imagery collection to the Government of Ukraine.

    Australia-U.K-U.S. (AUKUS) Partnership: Directs further collaboration between the AUKUS countries on IT infrastructure and directs the DoD to provide an update on who it has assigned to be the senior civilian defense official to lead the U.S. work on this agreement and continue the updates required by the Fiscal Year 2024 NDAA.

    Taiwan: Authorizes funding for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative and directs the Department of Defense to engage with Taiwan to develop a joint program to codevelop and coproduce uncrewed and counter-uncrewed capabilities.

    U.S. Posture in Indo-Pacific:

    • Authorizes funding for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI), which enhances U.S. force posture, infrastructure, readiness, capacity, and capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.
    • Prohibits a reduction in U.S. military posture on the Korean Peninsula or a change in wartime operational control over the Combined Forces Command until the Secretary of Defense certifies to Congress that such action is in the national interest.
    • Directs an initiative to strengthen security cooperation across the respective defense industrial bases of U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific.

    Uncrewed Aircraft Systems:

    • Requires the Department of Defense to develop a roadmap for the small, unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) industrial base to support existing sUAS programs.
    • Requires a briefing on the plan for installation commanders to engage UAS on U.S. military installations by both kinetic and non-kinetic means.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Secures Key Provisions for Nebraska, Offutt Air Force Base in Annual Defense Funding Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Secures provisions for the 557th Weather Wing, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base

    U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and chair of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, secured key provisions for Nebraska, America’s service members, and Offutt Air Force Base in the Senate’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). 

    “As a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I understand the critical role Offutt Air Force Base plays in keeping our nation safe. That’s why I fought to secure authorization for investments in U.S. Strategic Command, the 557th Weather Wing and the     Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency—all located right here at Offutt. The brave men and women who serve at Offutt deserve the resources and tools they need to succeed and keep our people and nation safe. I’m pleased to champion these efforts in Congress,” Fischer said. 

    Fischer secured authorization for critical investments for U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) at Offutt Air Force Base:

    • Over $4 billion in investments to the Sentinel program
    • $320 million for the U.S. Navy to develop the Nuclear Armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM)
    • $186 million for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to develop the SLCM warhead
    • $30 million for the Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) Rapid Engineering Architecture Collaboration Hub (REACH) program
    • $16 million for the planning and design of a 2-Bay Hangar to support the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC)
    • $7.35 million for the planning and design of a Supply Storage Facility to support the SAOC
    • $1.9 million for the planning and design of 1-Bay Hangar to support the SAOC


    Fischer secured several provisions aimed at improving America’s nuclear deterrence, supporting service members, and improving Offutt Air Force Base operations:

    • Requiring Sentinel to reach initial operational capability no later than September 30, 2033
    • Requiring the Air Force to deploy at least 400 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) at least 450 launch facilities
    • Expanding the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s (DPAA) authority to procure goods and services from foreign nations to support recovery efforts for missing American servicemembers
    • Authorizing an additional $19 million for DPAA to reverse a reduction in funds
    • Directing the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to provide Congress with an update on the status of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) pilot program which was established during the FY20 NDAA
    • Directing the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report on the current capabilities of the 557th Weather Wing as it relates to cloud technology and data management systems
    • Clarifying the 557th Weather Wing’s authorities to provide weather data to the Intelligence Community

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Strengthens Nuclear Deterrence, Protects Defense Spectrum in FY 2026 NDAA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and chair of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, secured key provisions aimed at improving service member quality of life, strengthening America’s nuclear deterrent, and protecting defense spectrum in the Senate’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation passed out of the committee on Wednesday and now awaits consideration on the Senate floor.

    “During this time of global unrest – where we see Iran edging closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon, China accelerating its military buildup in the Indo-Pacific, and Russia continuing its war against Ukraine – it is more important than ever that we invest in our service members, protect defense spectrum, drive innovation, and strengthen our missile defense systems. I’m proud the FY 2026 NDAA meets this moment with key provisions I pushed for to modernize our nuclear deterrent and strengthen our national defense,” Fischer said.

    Key Provisions Secured by Fischer in the FY 2026 NDAA:

    Taking Care of Our Service Members:

    • Authorizing $19 million above the president’s budget request for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), which has the sacred mission of recovering and identifying the remains of fallen servicemembers from past conflicts.
    • Exploring Public-Private Healthcare Construction: Directs DoD to assess the feasibility of a program modeled after Fischer’s CHIP IN For Veterans Act, enabling local communities to contribute to DoD healthcare facility development.
    • Expanding DPAA Overseas Recovery Tools: Authorizes the DPAA to procure foreign goods and services to support recovery missions abroad.
    • Reforming Facilities Sustainment, Restoration, and Modernization (FSRM): Authorizes FSRM funding for three years instead of one, supporting more responsible and cost-effective execution of complex maintenance and modernization projects.

    Modernizing Our Nuclear Deterrent:

    • Upgrading NNSA Infrastructure: Establishes an annual independent assessment of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)’s progress toward infrastructure modernization goals outlined in the Enterprise Blueprint.
    • Expanding Combatant Command Innovation Authority: Extends experimentation and prototyping authority to all combatant commands, including U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM).
    • Requiring Sentinel Program Progress: Requires the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program to begin being fielded by Sept. 30, 2033.
    • Preserving ICBM Force Structure: Makes permanent the requirement to deploy at least 400 ICBMs across no fewer than 450 launch facilities.
    • Accelerating SLCM Capability: Accelerates the Nuclear Sea-Launch Cruise Missile (SLCM-N) program by two years.
    • Improving Safety of Launch Facilities: Codifies a requirement for deep cleaning of ICBM launch control centers every five years.
    • Accounting for Air and Missile Defense Needs: Includes air and missile defense interceptors in the Department of Defense’s (DoD) unconstrained total munitions requirements list.
    • Sustaining MMIII Operations: Directs a briefing on Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) plans to sustain Minuteman III (MMIII) until Sentinel is emplaced.
    • Creating NNSA Rapid Capabilities Office: Establishes an Office of Rapid Capabilities Development within NNSA to accelerate innovation and deployment.
    • Assessing Heavy Launch Site Viability: Directs a DoD study on the capacity and sustainability of heavy and super heavy launch sites at Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg, and on potential alternative locations.
    • Authorizing over $4 billion in investments to the Sentinel program.
    • Authorizing $186 million for the NNSA to develop the SLCM-N warhead.
    • Authorizing $320 million for Navy to develop the SLCM.

    Protecting Defense Spectrum:

    • Safeguarding the Pentagon’s Spectrum: Prohibits any modifications to DoD systems in key spectrum bands without joint certification from the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
    • Designating STRATCOM as Lead for Spectrum Testing: Designates STRATCOM’s Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (JEMSO) office as the lead entity for coordinating testing and evaluation of joint employment of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) technologies.

    Enhancing Strategic Preparedness:

    • Reviewing NDMS Pilot Implementation: Requires a briefing on the progress of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) pilot program, as established in previous NDAAs.
    • Modernizing 557th Weather Wing Capabilities: Directs a report on the 557th Weather Wing’s cloud migration, AI readiness, and infrastructure modernization roadmap.
    • Clarifying Weather Wing Support for the Intelligence Community: Codifies the Weather Wing’s authorities to provide meteorological and environmental services to the Intelligence Community.

    Divesting From Our Adversaries:

    • Blocking CCP-Linked Entertainment Funding: Prohibits funding for entertainment projects with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or government of China.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Statement on New Gallup Poll Showing Surge in Support for Immigration, Widespread Opposition to Trump’s Inhumane Policies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Statement on New Gallup Poll Showing Surge in Support for Immigration, Widespread Opposition to Trump’s Inhumane Policies

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, issued the following statement after Gallup released a new poll showing a sharp increase in support for immigration and broad disapproval of President Trump’s mass deportation agenda:

    “The numbers don’t lie: the majority of Americans agree that immigration is overwhelmingly good for our country and our economy. As the nation watches Donald Trump and Stephen Miller’s cruel policies separate families and sow fear in our communities — in our parks, our restaurants, our hospitals — they’ve become deeply unpopular, sparking a fierce backlash from the public and uniting people across the country against the President’s mass deportation agenda.

    “We know our economy depends on the essential contributions of immigrants. California is the fourth-largest economy in the world not in spite of immigrants, but because of their contributions not only as a workforce, but as consumers and as entrepreneurs.

    “Now is the time to finally deliver a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, farm workers, and other long-term residents of our nation who have been living and working in the shadows for far too long.”

    In just one year, public support for reducing immigration has fallen by nearly half: only 30 percent of respondents said that immigration should be reduced, compared to 55 percent last year. An all-time record 79 percent of Americans believe immigration is a good thing for the country, with only 17 percent (a record-low) saying it’s a bad thing. Support for providing permanent pathways to citizenship is notably up from last year, with 78 percent of Americans agreeing that undocumented immigrants living in the United States deserve the chance to become citizens if they meet certain requirements over a period of time (up 8 percent from last year). At the same time, support for hiring more Border Patrol agents has plummeted by 17 percent since just last year, while support for the border wall and mass deportation has also begun to erode.

    MIL OSI USA News –